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Dirk Pitt® #9
ล่าขุมทรัพย์มหากาฬ
ห้องสมุดอเล็กซานเดรียมีอยู่จริง และหากไม่ถูกสงครามกับพวกคลั่งศาสนาทำลายป่นปี้ เราคงมีโอกาสรู้เบื้องลึกไม่เฉพาะอาณาจักรอิยิปต์ อาณาจักรกรีกและอาณาจักรโรมันเท่านั้น แต่รวมไปดินแดนศิวิไลซ์แถบเมดิเตอร์เรเนียนเหล่านั้นด้วย ดินแดนดังกล่าวเคยเรืองรองด้วยศิลปวัฒนธรรมก่อนล่มสลายดับสูญโดยที่เราแทบไม่รู้ความเป็นมาเลย
ในปีคริศตศักราช 361 จักรพรรดิชาวคริสเตียนทรงพระนามว่า ธีโอดอซิอุส ทรงมีพระราชกระแสรับสั่งให้ทำลายหนังสือทุกเล่ม ศิลปะทุกชิ้นของพวกนอกรีต รวมไปถึงคำสอนอันเป็นอมตะของนักปราชญ์กรีกเสียสิ้น ไม่ให้เหลือ
แต่ว่า ส่วนหนึ่งถูกลักพาหนีมหกรรมเผาทำลายได้หวุดหวิด มันเป็นอะไร ถูกเก็บไว้ที่ไหน ปริศนานี้ยังคงเป็นความลับดำมืดแม้ในอีกสิบหกศตวรรษให้หลัง
-คำโปรยปกใน-
ในปีคริศตศักราช 361 จักรพรรดิชาวคริสเตียนทรงพระนามว่า ธีโอดอซิอุส ทรงมีพระราชกระแสรับสั่งให้ทำลายหนังสือทุกเล่ม ศิลปะทุกชิ้นของพวกนอกรีต รวมไปถึงคำสอนอันเป็นอมตะของนักปราชญ์กรีกเสียสิ้น ไม่ให้เหลือ
แต่ว่า ส่วนหนึ่งถูกลักพาหนีมหกรรมเผาทำลายได้หวุดหวิด มันเป็นอะไร ถูกเก็บไว้ที่ไหน ปริศนานี้ยังคงเป็นความลับดำมืดแม้ในอีกสิบหกศตวรรษให้หลัง
-คำโปรยปกใน-
837 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 1988
285 people are currently reading
5304 people want to read
About the author
Clive Cussler
655 books8,600 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 431 reviews
April 20, 2024
Clive Cussler is a clever author, not in the sense he writes great literature, his books tend to be rip-roaring tales never to be taken seriously, still they amuse the reader, to tell the truth after many dark novels, the brightness is heartily welcomed . In the latest story ...back in A.D. 391 Roman Emperor Theodosius the First of the dying Empire at the urging of the local Christian patriarch, orders what is left of the magnificent yet pagan library at Alexandria in Egypt destroyed , this has been denied by many historians ... they say the structure no longer existed... Junius Venator a Roman, the last head of the library a historical person, who walked the Earth, smuggles the priceless artifacts before this occurs having hired Roman soldiers, (mostly then foreigners) and slaves with a small fleet to whisk away the many scrolls from annihilation, the ships vanish into mystery, but where did he put them? That is the plot...(a fictional narrative from 1988)...well one of several as is the custom of Mr. Cussler, he believes the more the merrier, never give the reader a breather the result... 100 million books sold making him a very happy rich man...Now back to the twentieth century, two fanatics one in Egypt Akmad Yazid, another in Mexico, Topilzin with the backing of a criminal, rather hidden, quite wealthy family, trying to take over the respective governments which could cause tremendous turmoil not to mention millions of victims that would fall...
unimaginable while secret agent Dirk Pitt is around... his cover, working in Numa a government agency involved in underwater exploring , surveying and finding valuable shipwrecks the public thinks.... Washington needs help, Dirk's father George, an influential U.S. senator, a frequent visitor to the White House, you can see how Mr. Pitt is thrown into the fire often, with loyal friends on board his boat Al Giordino and Rudi Gunn assisting . Discovering where the treasure is buried becomes vital to the fortunes of America , however where to look, the world is huge, only a few clues revealed. Frigid , isolated northern Greenland is the unlikely start in the long process, a Roman coin, having the image of Emperor Theodosius from the 4th century is unearthed , result... enormous disbelief by the archaeologists working there in an abandoned early Eskimo settlement, circa A.D. 200. Next an airliner crashes nearby on the frozen tundra...the thin ice ready to collapse, on it Hala Kamil UN Secretary -General, seeing the tragedy by mere chance... our friend (still if you must know, an undercover operation to locate a sunken Soviet sub, don't tell anyone ). From the sea on his boat, the heavily armed Polar Explorer, Dirk Pitt reacts quickly, he will have more than a few wounds after this is all over (from persistent assassins ), a rescue is attempted. However Dr. Lily Sharp one of the diggers is easy on the eyes, as is Hala Kamil... Dirk is smitten by both...For people who like the ridiculous, enjoy a light read and forget the too real world...it did bring me pleasure.
unimaginable while secret agent Dirk Pitt is around... his cover, working in Numa a government agency involved in underwater exploring , surveying and finding valuable shipwrecks the public thinks.... Washington needs help, Dirk's father George, an influential U.S. senator, a frequent visitor to the White House, you can see how Mr. Pitt is thrown into the fire often, with loyal friends on board his boat Al Giordino and Rudi Gunn assisting . Discovering where the treasure is buried becomes vital to the fortunes of America , however where to look, the world is huge, only a few clues revealed. Frigid , isolated northern Greenland is the unlikely start in the long process, a Roman coin, having the image of Emperor Theodosius from the 4th century is unearthed , result... enormous disbelief by the archaeologists working there in an abandoned early Eskimo settlement, circa A.D. 200. Next an airliner crashes nearby on the frozen tundra...the thin ice ready to collapse, on it Hala Kamil UN Secretary -General, seeing the tragedy by mere chance... our friend (still if you must know, an undercover operation to locate a sunken Soviet sub, don't tell anyone ). From the sea on his boat, the heavily armed Polar Explorer, Dirk Pitt reacts quickly, he will have more than a few wounds after this is all over (from persistent assassins ), a rescue is attempted. However Dr. Lily Sharp one of the diggers is easy on the eyes, as is Hala Kamil... Dirk is smitten by both...For people who like the ridiculous, enjoy a light read and forget the too real world...it did bring me pleasure.
December 9, 2020
4 Stars for Treasure: Dirk Pitt #9 (audiobook) by Clive Cussler read by Brian Cox. Another great Dirk Pitt Adventure.
May 31, 2023
2023 Cussler series read
As ever with Cussler's Dirk Pitt, you get a really enjoyable roller coaster of a read. After the first few, he seemed to settle into his stride and since then, they have all been good, all been fun and all been an easy read.
Don'y expect a classic and you will be well happy with what you get, in this case the hidden remains of the library of Alexandria saved and buried elsewhere almost 2 millennia ago.
You also get a bunch of baddies who are as ever intent on some form of world or financial domination. Add into the mix Dirk's friends (Giordino, Gunn and Admiral Sandecker), car chases, shootouts and of course something to do with the Sea, and you're in for a fun ride.
2015 Read
It appears I didn't write a review in 2015, so see above.
As ever with Cussler's Dirk Pitt, you get a really enjoyable roller coaster of a read. After the first few, he seemed to settle into his stride and since then, they have all been good, all been fun and all been an easy read.
Don'y expect a classic and you will be well happy with what you get, in this case the hidden remains of the library of Alexandria saved and buried elsewhere almost 2 millennia ago.
You also get a bunch of baddies who are as ever intent on some form of world or financial domination. Add into the mix Dirk's friends (Giordino, Gunn and Admiral Sandecker), car chases, shootouts and of course something to do with the Sea, and you're in for a fun ride.
2015 Read
It appears I didn't write a review in 2015, so see above.
January 21, 2018
Plot 1:
391 AD Julius Venator, a Roman plans to save the treasures of Library of Alexandria before it has to be destroyed by the order of the king. He takes a group of soldiers and roman slaves with a fleet of ships and buries the treasure. Before getting back to the ship the natives kills all the slaves, his legion and all his ships lost but one ship Serapis escapes.
Plot 2:
Lily Sharp, a professor of anthropology at Colorado and her team discovers a Roman coin in Greenland. At the same time a plane carrying Hala Kamil the Secretary General of United Nations, been hijacked and crash lands near the discovery site.
Plot 3:
Would be dictator of Mexico, Topiltzin wants to change Mexico into old Aztec empire, the US President sents a secret envoy but he kills him and sends his heart and skin as his answer.
Plot 4:
Egypt is in turmoil, a fanatic Akhmad Yazid aspires to become the President of that country by revolting and assassinating. A greatest assassin, feared and respected by the CIA and the KGB and one of his hitman Suleiman Aziz Ammar, he uses him for his growth in politics.
Full review with images click the link below.
http://www.chromaring.com/2018/01/tre...
The book starts with a historical prologue July 15th 391 AD in which Julius Venator, a Roman, along with a group of soldiers and slaves, sail in a fleet of ships ferrying the treasures from the Library of Alexandria trying to save it from Emperor Theodosius I , who had ordered to destroy the works of great minds. Venator a learned man, finds a secret place where he can bury the treasure. After the treasures are safe in the underground cavern his team the Roman soldiers, and slaves are all slaughtered by the natives. While one small ship Serapis manages to get away, they never reach land and the secret of the treasure is lost.
As we turn the pages plot 2 takes place and Dirk Pitt is trying to locate the sunken Russian submarine, and then helps the two damsels in distress, first he saves Lily Sharp and then Hala Kamil. Dirk and team continue in discovering a tablet from Sarapis, the one from Julius Venator fleet. The tablet reveals the treasure and the place. As they further reasearch, Hala Kamil is again saved by Pitt (a superb plot two Mercedes Benz 300 SDL chasing a 1930 L-29 Cord Town Car driven by Pitt)
Not everytime Pitt is there to save Hala, under Akhmad Yazid his favourite mercenary Suleiman Aziz Ammar hatches a fool proof plan and kidnaps Hala Kamil and delegates. A secret meeting takes place in Lady Flamborough in Punta del Este, as Ammar takes over the ship carrying on board the UN Secretary General, President of Mexico DeLorenzo, Egyptian President Hassan and Pitt's father Senator George Pitt. Ammar uses all his tricks to outwitt Pitt, did he outwit our Hero? Did Pitt saved the VIP hostages? did NUMA find the secret burial place of Julius Venator? What is the connection between Topiltzin and Akhmad Yazid? all these are revealed in the final chapters of the book.
A super fast express ride from start to finish, Clive Cussler the Grand Master of Adventure.
Some of famous lines from the novel.
Is there no hope for survivial asked Ismad. None, said Ammar firmly. Absolutely none.
Dirk Pitt relaxed and slouched in a swivel chair... (when reading this line, I got goosebumps when the atrocities committed by Yazid and Ammar reaches a climax, is there nobody to check them, the answer Dirk Pitt)
Giordino was Pitts insurance policy against Murphy's Law.
(When Hala Kamil questions Pitt out of shock when he tries to save her from the crashed plane)
Who are you and what do you want? She demanded in a husky voice with a slight trace of an accent. A dumb question was the first thought that crossed Pitts mind, but he quickly wrote off the woman's testy challenge to shock. He smiled his best Boy Scot trust worthy smile.
My name is Dirk PItt. I'm part of a rescue team from the United States ship Polar Explorer.
Can you prove it?
Sorry I left my driver's license at home.
Dinner? asked Pitt innocently, funny thing. Knight continued, Just before Doc Gale surgically repaired the flight attendant torn knee ligaments, she mentioned a dinner date with you too.
Pitt had a pure as the driven snow expression on his face. I guess they must be hungry.
Lily, climb in the rear and keep your head down. I don't want you hurt. What about me? Giordino asked in resigned indignation. Dan't I rate a little concern? Give me one good reason why I should sit up there exposed with you?
To protect your trust chauffeur from harm, evil and unsavoury felons.
Definetly not a good reason.
Pitt tried another tack. Of course there's that fifty bucks. I borrowed from you in Panama and never paid back.
Plus interest
Plus interest, Pitt replied.
Pardon me, Sir Pitt asked politely. Can you play "Fly me to the Moon"
He has a capacity for appearing in the right place when you least expect him.
know one man who will never give up. She looked at him questioningly. Who? My son Dirk.
If they come after us, asked Findley, do we throw rocks? My life is guided by the Boy Scout motto, replied Pitt.
He held up a semiautomatic shotgun for Findley "You said you hunted some, Clayton. Here's an early Christmas present. A twelve-guage Benelli Super Ninety.
Welcome to Sam's Roman Circus. Then he noticed Pitts face, cane and limp. "Fall off your motorcyle?" Pitt laughed. "The short end of a saloon brawl.
Topiltzin ignored the remark. "You can begin with your name, your title and function in the American bureaucracy.
"My name is Dirk Pitt. My title is Mister Pitt. My function is United States tax payer and you can go straight to hell.
391 AD Julius Venator, a Roman plans to save the treasures of Library of Alexandria before it has to be destroyed by the order of the king. He takes a group of soldiers and roman slaves with a fleet of ships and buries the treasure. Before getting back to the ship the natives kills all the slaves, his legion and all his ships lost but one ship Serapis escapes.
Plot 2:
Lily Sharp, a professor of anthropology at Colorado and her team discovers a Roman coin in Greenland. At the same time a plane carrying Hala Kamil the Secretary General of United Nations, been hijacked and crash lands near the discovery site.
Plot 3:
Would be dictator of Mexico, Topiltzin wants to change Mexico into old Aztec empire, the US President sents a secret envoy but he kills him and sends his heart and skin as his answer.
Plot 4:
Egypt is in turmoil, a fanatic Akhmad Yazid aspires to become the President of that country by revolting and assassinating. A greatest assassin, feared and respected by the CIA and the KGB and one of his hitman Suleiman Aziz Ammar, he uses him for his growth in politics.
Full review with images click the link below.
http://www.chromaring.com/2018/01/tre...
The book starts with a historical prologue July 15th 391 AD in which Julius Venator, a Roman, along with a group of soldiers and slaves, sail in a fleet of ships ferrying the treasures from the Library of Alexandria trying to save it from Emperor Theodosius I , who had ordered to destroy the works of great minds. Venator a learned man, finds a secret place where he can bury the treasure. After the treasures are safe in the underground cavern his team the Roman soldiers, and slaves are all slaughtered by the natives. While one small ship Serapis manages to get away, they never reach land and the secret of the treasure is lost.
As we turn the pages plot 2 takes place and Dirk Pitt is trying to locate the sunken Russian submarine, and then helps the two damsels in distress, first he saves Lily Sharp and then Hala Kamil. Dirk and team continue in discovering a tablet from Sarapis, the one from Julius Venator fleet. The tablet reveals the treasure and the place. As they further reasearch, Hala Kamil is again saved by Pitt (a superb plot two Mercedes Benz 300 SDL chasing a 1930 L-29 Cord Town Car driven by Pitt)
Not everytime Pitt is there to save Hala, under Akhmad Yazid his favourite mercenary Suleiman Aziz Ammar hatches a fool proof plan and kidnaps Hala Kamil and delegates. A secret meeting takes place in Lady Flamborough in Punta del Este, as Ammar takes over the ship carrying on board the UN Secretary General, President of Mexico DeLorenzo, Egyptian President Hassan and Pitt's father Senator George Pitt. Ammar uses all his tricks to outwitt Pitt, did he outwit our Hero? Did Pitt saved the VIP hostages? did NUMA find the secret burial place of Julius Venator? What is the connection between Topiltzin and Akhmad Yazid? all these are revealed in the final chapters of the book.
A super fast express ride from start to finish, Clive Cussler the Grand Master of Adventure.
Some of famous lines from the novel.
Is there no hope for survivial asked Ismad. None, said Ammar firmly. Absolutely none.
Dirk Pitt relaxed and slouched in a swivel chair... (when reading this line, I got goosebumps when the atrocities committed by Yazid and Ammar reaches a climax, is there nobody to check them, the answer Dirk Pitt)
Giordino was Pitts insurance policy against Murphy's Law.
(When Hala Kamil questions Pitt out of shock when he tries to save her from the crashed plane)
Who are you and what do you want? She demanded in a husky voice with a slight trace of an accent. A dumb question was the first thought that crossed Pitts mind, but he quickly wrote off the woman's testy challenge to shock. He smiled his best Boy Scot trust worthy smile.
My name is Dirk PItt. I'm part of a rescue team from the United States ship Polar Explorer.
Can you prove it?
Sorry I left my driver's license at home.
Dinner? asked Pitt innocently, funny thing. Knight continued, Just before Doc Gale surgically repaired the flight attendant torn knee ligaments, she mentioned a dinner date with you too.
Pitt had a pure as the driven snow expression on his face. I guess they must be hungry.
Lily, climb in the rear and keep your head down. I don't want you hurt. What about me? Giordino asked in resigned indignation. Dan't I rate a little concern? Give me one good reason why I should sit up there exposed with you?
To protect your trust chauffeur from harm, evil and unsavoury felons.
Definetly not a good reason.
Pitt tried another tack. Of course there's that fifty bucks. I borrowed from you in Panama and never paid back.
Plus interest
Plus interest, Pitt replied.
Pardon me, Sir Pitt asked politely. Can you play "Fly me to the Moon"
He has a capacity for appearing in the right place when you least expect him.
know one man who will never give up. She looked at him questioningly. Who? My son Dirk.
If they come after us, asked Findley, do we throw rocks? My life is guided by the Boy Scout motto, replied Pitt.
He held up a semiautomatic shotgun for Findley "You said you hunted some, Clayton. Here's an early Christmas present. A twelve-guage Benelli Super Ninety.
Welcome to Sam's Roman Circus. Then he noticed Pitts face, cane and limp. "Fall off your motorcyle?" Pitt laughed. "The short end of a saloon brawl.
Topiltzin ignored the remark. "You can begin with your name, your title and function in the American bureaucracy.
"My name is Dirk Pitt. My title is Mister Pitt. My function is United States tax payer and you can go straight to hell.
March 21, 2022
Enjoyed the history as always
December 22, 2020
The long lost, and presumed destroyed, contents of the ancient library of Alexandria, including the preserved remains of Alexander the Great himself, make for one heck of an intriguing subject for a treasure hunt. Unfortunately, there's not much historical context or depth provided to get one really salivating over it. Still, there's plenty of adrenaline fueled action and adventure featuring Dirk Pitt, Cussler's embodiment of the manliest man imaginable, who he makes absolutely no attempts at humanizing or grounding in reality. Nor should he, that's not the point here at all. Good fun.
July 22, 2009
My least favorite of Clive Cussler's books so far. There is essentially two stories contained in the novel, and they are not very well connected. He starts off with one story about lost treasure, then transfers almost totally to another story about terrorists which takes up the bulk of the novel, stays with that until it is over, and then finally switches back to the original story about the treasure for the last few chapters. The terrorist story really had nothing at all to do with the treasure. I don't get it. Cussler is usually a great novelist. This is the first time I have come away disappointed.
December 31, 2020
This took me a month to read at night. It took a while to get into the story because it jumped around a lot and their were lots of characters. A good read
May 9, 2008
When I need a mental vacation like to travel with Dirk Pitt. I haven't read all of the series and what I've read hasn't been order but I still enjoy the books. My most recent read was Treasure (1988).
Treasure has all the usual adventure story stuff: buried treasure, sunken treasure, espionage, kidnappings, car chases, and so forth. In the Dirk Pitt novels there are typically two different plots: the A plot being whatever word crisis NUMA somehow has to fix and the B plot where NUMA is actually looking for treasure and basically doing its real job. I like both parts but I prefer the treasure hunting aspects of it (I'm the same way with Indian Jones too).
Since I enjoy the treasure hunt bit most, I always skip the prologue where the treasure is lost. I don't like going into the adventure knowing more than the NUMA crew. I only go back to read the prologue after I've finished the book.
In Treasure the treasure in question is tomb of Alexander the Great and the remains of his famous library. Meanwhile a trio of power hungry brothers have turned to terrorism to bring down the governments of Mexico, Egypt and Brazil bringing Senator Pitt into the fray.
How all these things come together is silly. It's fun. It's completely over the top. Think James Bond at his silliest and multiply it by two. So if you're looking for a serious adventure story, look elsewhere. If you're looking for escapism, I highly recommend treasure.
Treasure has all the usual adventure story stuff: buried treasure, sunken treasure, espionage, kidnappings, car chases, and so forth. In the Dirk Pitt novels there are typically two different plots: the A plot being whatever word crisis NUMA somehow has to fix and the B plot where NUMA is actually looking for treasure and basically doing its real job. I like both parts but I prefer the treasure hunting aspects of it (I'm the same way with Indian Jones too).
Since I enjoy the treasure hunt bit most, I always skip the prologue where the treasure is lost. I don't like going into the adventure knowing more than the NUMA crew. I only go back to read the prologue after I've finished the book.
In Treasure the treasure in question is tomb of Alexander the Great and the remains of his famous library. Meanwhile a trio of power hungry brothers have turned to terrorism to bring down the governments of Mexico, Egypt and Brazil bringing Senator Pitt into the fray.
How all these things come together is silly. It's fun. It's completely over the top. Think James Bond at his silliest and multiply it by two. So if you're looking for a serious adventure story, look elsewhere. If you're looking for escapism, I highly recommend treasure.
July 29, 2023
Another far fetched adventure story from one of the masters. Ranging from a crashing airliner over Greenland to a cruise ship off the southern tip of Argentina to a border town on the Rio Grande this treasure hunt is looking for lost artifacts from the library of Alexandria.
A good fast paced adventure that makes a good break between more serious books.
A good fast paced adventure that makes a good break between more serious books.
November 20, 2019
A late Roman ship locked in Greenland ice changes history, but a wax tablet describing its journey could bring the treasures of the Library of Alexandria back to the world. Treasure is the 9th book of Clive Cussler’s Dirk Pitt series as the titular hero goes from searching for a sunken Soviet sub to searching for a missing cruise ship with foreign heads of state and then looking for the fabulous remnants of the Library of Alexandria in Texas near the Rio Grande.
The last head of the Library of Alexandria finishes his inventory of the treasures he’s taken to be preserved in an unknown land only for his mercenaries to anger the local barbarians that attack and kill nearly everyone, except for the librarian and one ship that didn’t trust him cast off leaving him behind. Almost 1500 years later, archaeologist Dr. Lily Sharp finds a Roman coin in Eskimo village in Greenland while off the coast Dirk Pitt and Al Giordino help the U.S. Navy find a sunken Soviet sub when suddenly a commercial airliner with the UN Secretary General onboard flies overhead and crash lanes into the ice. The archaeologists, Pitt & Giordino, and the Navy personal launch rescues but find three survivors with most dead by poison but the 1st and 2nd officers killed by the missing pilot, one of the best assassins in the world. Using the equipment on the Navy ship, Pitt finds a late Roman vessel trapped in the ice with the crew preserved along with a log of the ship’s journey and why they were there. But Pitt, Giordino, and Dr. Sharp are sent to Colorado to talk with a Library of Alexandria expert and end up in a car chase after rescuing the UN Secretary General Hala Kamil from another assassination attempt, though an inept one, wanted by an Islamic cleric in her native Egypt because of her popularity. The Egyptian cleric, in an alliance with a Aztec religious fanatic in Mexico, orders his expert assassin to abduct the Presidents of Egypt and Mexico from their cruise ship at a Third World economic conference in Uruguay. The addition of Kamil who wanted to confer with both Presidents and Senator George Pitt, Dirk’s father, which the expert assassin views as both finishing his airplane job and leverage against the United States in the search. Pitt, Giordino, and Rudy Gunn takeover a NUMA ship in the south Atlantic and figure out that instead of sinking the cruise liner, a Mexican freighter was sunk and the cruiser made to look like the freighter for the benefit of satellites then wrapped in plastic that was covered in water so as to look like an iceberg to hide in the Strait of Magellan. U.S. Special Forces raid the ship, killing the Mexican terrorists who had secretly left with the VIP hostages to an old mining operation on a nearby island that the NUMA people were left only to be defeated by Pitt and others barely though the hostages saved. The expert assassin, blinded thanks to Pitt, wanting revenge kills the Egyptian cleric for setting him up for failure while he sends his deputy to kill Pitt. The NUMA computer using a map outline from the Roman ship and the journey log’s description locates the landing spot in Rome, Texas near the Mexican border. The Aztec religious fanatic inspires the poor citizenry of Mexico to gather at the border then invade the town of Rome only to be confronted by Pitt at the dig site then killed along the deputy assassin in a three-way fight before an explosion supposedly destroys the treasure and sending disappointed Mexicans back across the border. It is revealed that treasure was buried in another of the seven hills around the Texas town and that the Egyptian and Mexican religious fanatics were brothers from mixed race marriage of a three generation old crime family with tentacles around the world along with another brother who was being groomed to takeover Brazil.
Cussler takes a cue from era of the book’s publication, late 80s, and eliminates the Cold War cliché subplots instead going for Third World populism as well as religious fanaticism subplots that worked better from a story standpoint, yet the White House political and policy scenes felt like a drag to the story as a whole. If anything the Library of Alexandria element was probably the weakest subplot since beginning with Julius Caesar’s accidental partial destruction of the Library nothing from the original was left by the time Cussler’s “last librarian” buried the treasure in Texas and Alexander the Great’s mummy had probably been moved to an Alexandrian church under the false belief it was the Apostle Mark—and is probably in St. Mark’s in Venice if it was smuggled out by merchants centuries after the Muslims took over. As for the characters, the main antagonist was the expert assassin who was very formidable and almost got Pitt killed from the grave while the two religious fanatics were the typical “evil overlords” who were more secondary villains than anything else. Pitt was an over-the-top ladies’ man, having sex with both Kamil and Sharp, but got beaten up with all the fighting done over the course of the novel. However just because they had sex with Pitt doesn’t mean Kamil and Sharp weren’t interesting characters and showed an improvement of Cussler’s writing.
Treasure improved in areas over the previous Pitt installment through went back in another, but it’s overall quality was on par with Cyclops and the overall story was better. This a great adventure story with everything from treasure, assassins, political intrigue, and daring feats which is well worth your time if you’re interested in a light read over a few days.
The last head of the Library of Alexandria finishes his inventory of the treasures he’s taken to be preserved in an unknown land only for his mercenaries to anger the local barbarians that attack and kill nearly everyone, except for the librarian and one ship that didn’t trust him cast off leaving him behind. Almost 1500 years later, archaeologist Dr. Lily Sharp finds a Roman coin in Eskimo village in Greenland while off the coast Dirk Pitt and Al Giordino help the U.S. Navy find a sunken Soviet sub when suddenly a commercial airliner with the UN Secretary General onboard flies overhead and crash lanes into the ice. The archaeologists, Pitt & Giordino, and the Navy personal launch rescues but find three survivors with most dead by poison but the 1st and 2nd officers killed by the missing pilot, one of the best assassins in the world. Using the equipment on the Navy ship, Pitt finds a late Roman vessel trapped in the ice with the crew preserved along with a log of the ship’s journey and why they were there. But Pitt, Giordino, and Dr. Sharp are sent to Colorado to talk with a Library of Alexandria expert and end up in a car chase after rescuing the UN Secretary General Hala Kamil from another assassination attempt, though an inept one, wanted by an Islamic cleric in her native Egypt because of her popularity. The Egyptian cleric, in an alliance with a Aztec religious fanatic in Mexico, orders his expert assassin to abduct the Presidents of Egypt and Mexico from their cruise ship at a Third World economic conference in Uruguay. The addition of Kamil who wanted to confer with both Presidents and Senator George Pitt, Dirk’s father, which the expert assassin views as both finishing his airplane job and leverage against the United States in the search. Pitt, Giordino, and Rudy Gunn takeover a NUMA ship in the south Atlantic and figure out that instead of sinking the cruise liner, a Mexican freighter was sunk and the cruiser made to look like the freighter for the benefit of satellites then wrapped in plastic that was covered in water so as to look like an iceberg to hide in the Strait of Magellan. U.S. Special Forces raid the ship, killing the Mexican terrorists who had secretly left with the VIP hostages to an old mining operation on a nearby island that the NUMA people were left only to be defeated by Pitt and others barely though the hostages saved. The expert assassin, blinded thanks to Pitt, wanting revenge kills the Egyptian cleric for setting him up for failure while he sends his deputy to kill Pitt. The NUMA computer using a map outline from the Roman ship and the journey log’s description locates the landing spot in Rome, Texas near the Mexican border. The Aztec religious fanatic inspires the poor citizenry of Mexico to gather at the border then invade the town of Rome only to be confronted by Pitt at the dig site then killed along the deputy assassin in a three-way fight before an explosion supposedly destroys the treasure and sending disappointed Mexicans back across the border. It is revealed that treasure was buried in another of the seven hills around the Texas town and that the Egyptian and Mexican religious fanatics were brothers from mixed race marriage of a three generation old crime family with tentacles around the world along with another brother who was being groomed to takeover Brazil.
Cussler takes a cue from era of the book’s publication, late 80s, and eliminates the Cold War cliché subplots instead going for Third World populism as well as religious fanaticism subplots that worked better from a story standpoint, yet the White House political and policy scenes felt like a drag to the story as a whole. If anything the Library of Alexandria element was probably the weakest subplot since beginning with Julius Caesar’s accidental partial destruction of the Library nothing from the original was left by the time Cussler’s “last librarian” buried the treasure in Texas and Alexander the Great’s mummy had probably been moved to an Alexandrian church under the false belief it was the Apostle Mark—and is probably in St. Mark’s in Venice if it was smuggled out by merchants centuries after the Muslims took over. As for the characters, the main antagonist was the expert assassin who was very formidable and almost got Pitt killed from the grave while the two religious fanatics were the typical “evil overlords” who were more secondary villains than anything else. Pitt was an over-the-top ladies’ man, having sex with both Kamil and Sharp, but got beaten up with all the fighting done over the course of the novel. However just because they had sex with Pitt doesn’t mean Kamil and Sharp weren’t interesting characters and showed an improvement of Cussler’s writing.
Treasure improved in areas over the previous Pitt installment through went back in another, but it’s overall quality was on par with Cyclops and the overall story was better. This a great adventure story with everything from treasure, assassins, political intrigue, and daring feats which is well worth your time if you’re interested in a light read over a few days.
April 2, 2024
Treasure by Clive Cussler
Genres: Mystery, Suspense
4 Stars
Loaded with intrigue, suspense, action, mystery, smart a## remarks and great banter between Dirk Pitt & Al Giordino.
Genres: Mystery, Suspense
4 Stars
Loaded with intrigue, suspense, action, mystery, smart a## remarks and great banter between Dirk Pitt & Al Giordino.
September 26, 2014
I think this book is my all-time favorite Clive Cussler book. I never get tired of re-reading this book [I probably read it once a year or so]. I realize that much of a gap between reading might seem like a lot, but I love reading books. And I tend to read quite a bit between readings. This was one of the 1st Clive Cussler novels I read, if not the actual first one. It has always held a 'soft spot' due to level of suspense it created the first time I read it.
Anyhoo. The basic gist of the story is that the ancient Library of Alexandria was not completely destroyed in 400 AD, but a large chunk of the library was spirited away and hidden in some other part of the globe. The Romans and the academics are killed by the natives and the treasure trove is lost in the sands of time. The book then cuts to the present [1991] where Islamic terrorists [are there any other kind?] are attempting to assassinate the head of the UN [an Egyptian woman-goddess]. The aircraft manages to crashland in an icy fjord with only four survivors. Dirk Pitt and Company happen to be nearby searching for a Russian submarine on the ocean floor when the airplane crashes. He and a group of nearby archeologists discover evidence of a Roman cargo vessel nearby, which then provides them with clues that parts of the Library may still exist. And the search is on! Meanwhile, Egypt and Mexico are facing internal revolutions due to weak economies, crumbling government institutions, and charismatic leaders espousing overthrowing the modern government and returning to 'the old ways.' Murder, mystery, intrigue, classic cars getting demolished, a battle-royale in an abandoned mine, adventure, and hot exotic women make this a fast read.
I have always enjoyed how Clive Cussler manages to blend fiction with history, making his stories seem rooted in reality. Plus, with the recent evidence that the Chinese visited the West Coast long before Columbus 'discovered' America lends even more credence that America might have been visited by Europeans in its distant, forgotten past more times than we realize.
The byplay between Dirk and the SpecForces commander was entertaining. It was obvious that the special forces team leaders were going to get their comeuppance by Dirk and his band of merry men, but it was not done in such a way as to be horribly disrespectful of the SpecForces team. More like Dirk and Crew being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I have always enjoyed the relationship between Dirk and his dad. In a day and age when children [sons] are so often portrayed as having horrible relationships with their parents, it's nice/refreshing to have a hero who's not an 'anti-hero', who enjoys life, and who has a health relationship with his parents. I think that is one thing that has always drawn me to Clive's books about Dirk Pitt and the NUMA team. The banter and byplay between father and son is healthy and humorous; it sometimes reminds me of my conversations with my own father [especially when he starts to tease because I still fall for his jokes even after all this time].
The action sequences alternate between insane, unbelievable, and believable. They are at times flat-out crazy. But, at the same time, they are not as crazy or unbelievable as other books I have read. Some books are filled with unbelievable 'coincidences' to make a book/story work. This one not so much. Well, other than the beginning, from which the rest of the story flows. :)
The heroines in the book are relatively strong figures. They know what they want in life and are not afraid to pursue their dreams [or to to set aside their dreams for the good of their respective countries]. They do get weak-kneed around Dirk [which is par for the course in these books]. But despite this one 'weakness' [and hiding on the floor of Dirk's car during the car chase in Colorado] on their part, they are still strong individuals. Smart, intelligent, beautiful, and at the top of their respective games - the only way they could be better would be if they could shoot as good as if not better than Dirk.
Another thing I enjoy about these books is the relationship between Dirk and Al and Rudi; they form a great triumvirate that echoes the adage that a three-cord strand is not easily broken. Their banter with each other reflects a genuine relationship that sometimes makes me wonder if Mr. Cussler has interwoven personal relationships in with the relationship[s] between his characters. This book does not disappoint in terms of Clive's 'Three Muskateers.'
Overall, a good book that I really enjoy reading more than once.
Anyhoo. The basic gist of the story is that the ancient Library of Alexandria was not completely destroyed in 400 AD, but a large chunk of the library was spirited away and hidden in some other part of the globe. The Romans and the academics are killed by the natives and the treasure trove is lost in the sands of time. The book then cuts to the present [1991] where Islamic terrorists [are there any other kind?] are attempting to assassinate the head of the UN [an Egyptian woman-goddess]. The aircraft manages to crashland in an icy fjord with only four survivors. Dirk Pitt and Company happen to be nearby searching for a Russian submarine on the ocean floor when the airplane crashes. He and a group of nearby archeologists discover evidence of a Roman cargo vessel nearby, which then provides them with clues that parts of the Library may still exist. And the search is on! Meanwhile, Egypt and Mexico are facing internal revolutions due to weak economies, crumbling government institutions, and charismatic leaders espousing overthrowing the modern government and returning to 'the old ways.' Murder, mystery, intrigue, classic cars getting demolished, a battle-royale in an abandoned mine, adventure, and hot exotic women make this a fast read.
I have always enjoyed how Clive Cussler manages to blend fiction with history, making his stories seem rooted in reality. Plus, with the recent evidence that the Chinese visited the West Coast long before Columbus 'discovered' America lends even more credence that America might have been visited by Europeans in its distant, forgotten past more times than we realize.
The byplay between Dirk and the SpecForces commander was entertaining. It was obvious that the special forces team leaders were going to get their comeuppance by Dirk and his band of merry men, but it was not done in such a way as to be horribly disrespectful of the SpecForces team. More like Dirk and Crew being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I have always enjoyed the relationship between Dirk and his dad. In a day and age when children [sons] are so often portrayed as having horrible relationships with their parents, it's nice/refreshing to have a hero who's not an 'anti-hero', who enjoys life, and who has a health relationship with his parents. I think that is one thing that has always drawn me to Clive's books about Dirk Pitt and the NUMA team. The banter and byplay between father and son is healthy and humorous; it sometimes reminds me of my conversations with my own father [especially when he starts to tease because I still fall for his jokes even after all this time].
The action sequences alternate between insane, unbelievable, and believable. They are at times flat-out crazy. But, at the same time, they are not as crazy or unbelievable as other books I have read. Some books are filled with unbelievable 'coincidences' to make a book/story work. This one not so much. Well, other than the beginning, from which the rest of the story flows. :)
The heroines in the book are relatively strong figures. They know what they want in life and are not afraid to pursue their dreams [or to to set aside their dreams for the good of their respective countries]. They do get weak-kneed around Dirk [which is par for the course in these books]. But despite this one 'weakness' [and hiding on the floor of Dirk's car during the car chase in Colorado] on their part, they are still strong individuals. Smart, intelligent, beautiful, and at the top of their respective games - the only way they could be better would be if they could shoot as good as if not better than Dirk.
Another thing I enjoy about these books is the relationship between Dirk and Al and Rudi; they form a great triumvirate that echoes the adage that a three-cord strand is not easily broken. Their banter with each other reflects a genuine relationship that sometimes makes me wonder if Mr. Cussler has interwoven personal relationships in with the relationship[s] between his characters. This book does not disappoint in terms of Clive's 'Three Muskateers.'
Overall, a good book that I really enjoy reading more than once.
May 14, 2020
How Cussler was able to do it, time after time, I’ll never know. What I do know, however, is that Treasure is easily one of Cussler’s most underrated and forgotten novels from this era.
It’s still not as good as some that came later, but it’s story, pacing, action, and interwoven plot threads easily presents some Cussler’s best work. He expertly mixes the lost library of Alexandria, political coups, sunken ships, and twist after twist all together in one hell of a great read.
Now that I’m nearly 32 and almost 20 years removed from that fateful day I picked up a Cussler novel at my school’s book fair, it’s easy to see why he became such an influential author to me. Treasure was and is the perfect book to fuel 12 and 13 year old imaginations and I can’t wait till my son is old enough to begin his own journey of Cussler stories.
It’s still not as good as some that came later, but it’s story, pacing, action, and interwoven plot threads easily presents some Cussler’s best work. He expertly mixes the lost library of Alexandria, political coups, sunken ships, and twist after twist all together in one hell of a great read.
Now that I’m nearly 32 and almost 20 years removed from that fateful day I picked up a Cussler novel at my school’s book fair, it’s easy to see why he became such an influential author to me. Treasure was and is the perfect book to fuel 12 and 13 year old imaginations and I can’t wait till my son is old enough to begin his own journey of Cussler stories.
February 2, 2023
Sometimes you need something light and trashy. This was that, but it also disappointed, with a hurried, insubstantial plot.
Also Clive Cussler writes women in the worst way.
It was fun in a read every third word kind of way, but there are better airplane novels out there.
Also Clive Cussler writes women in the worst way.
It was fun in a read every third word kind of way, but there are better airplane novels out there.
December 28, 2022
Dirk Pitt you r a Dickhead
September 11, 2021
Another great Dirk Pitt novel. Finding the library of Alexandria... if only it were true. Can Cusser write any more diabolical ways for Pitt to get into...and out of... trouble?
April 16, 2012
Dirk Pitt, ancient artifact discoverer extraordinaire is searching an ancient deepsea wreck for info about the Library of Alexandria when he finds himself drawn into a terrorist plot set on international unrest and upheaval in Egypt and Mexico. He picks up several love interests along the way and with his trusty band of sidekicks, goes toe to toe with a madman.
I won’t deny that the story was entertaining but it could have been so much better. If Cussler had made the characters believable and if the plot had less of a James Bond scope I would have enjoyed it more. There are action scenes of literally every type. There’s an airplane crash, a shipwreck explored, a car chase down a mountain, a battle in an air hanger, men scaling a mountain and climbing on board a ship. I find it difficult to believe that a man in the business of salvaging ancient antiquities would get involved in such zaniness. To be fair Indiana Jones did the same thing but for some reason it feels more believable taking place in the late 30s with Nazis coming out of the woodwork and fewer regulations on ancient sites and artifacts. Having the book take place in present day (1989) I expect more. Overall I would classify the book as a beach read, something to take on vacation if you don’t want to think too hard.
Dirk Pitt is super annoying as a protagonist because he's described as 'practically perfect in every way'. He's tall, handsome, smart, athletic and gets all the ladies. There were so many instances when the way he was described made him seem cartoonish because of how unbelievable it was. For example his eyes are described in a ridiculous manner. "They seemed to reflect hardness, gentleness and sincere concern in one glinting montage." How can eyes both reflect hardness and gentleness? It’s an impossibility! We are also led to believe that his piercing gaze makes women weak in the knees. The book is a harlequin romance written by a man with a protagonist so unrealistic it ruined the book and every other Dirk Pitt story for me. On that note I do have one more Clive Cussler/Dirk Pitt book in my library called ”Inca Gold” that I am very tempted to read and then dispose of. I don’t think it’s too much to ask that readers are treated with a degree of intelligence by the author and I felt that while the story contained political intrigue, the story itself was dumbed down.
The sad part is I only picked up this book because it mentioned discovering the lost Library of Alexandria on the dust jacket. The problem is the Library is in fact, a Macguffin. The reader is lulled into thinking the story will be about bringing back the literary treasures of the past but the library storyline soon fades into the background only to reemerge at the very end of the book. It felt as if Cussler smushed together two different books. We start with the Library but a large portion of the book is taken up with international terrorists.
The strange thing is I own ”Sahara”, a Dirk Pitt movie based on a book of the same name. It’s actually pretty decent. Good action, characters and plot. I’ll have to revisit it and review it on here to contrast how Dirk Pitt can be handled well as a character. If you’re looking for something to read on the plane that’s action oriented but not too deep, pick up this book.
I won’t deny that the story was entertaining but it could have been so much better. If Cussler had made the characters believable and if the plot had less of a James Bond scope I would have enjoyed it more. There are action scenes of literally every type. There’s an airplane crash, a shipwreck explored, a car chase down a mountain, a battle in an air hanger, men scaling a mountain and climbing on board a ship. I find it difficult to believe that a man in the business of salvaging ancient antiquities would get involved in such zaniness. To be fair Indiana Jones did the same thing but for some reason it feels more believable taking place in the late 30s with Nazis coming out of the woodwork and fewer regulations on ancient sites and artifacts. Having the book take place in present day (1989) I expect more. Overall I would classify the book as a beach read, something to take on vacation if you don’t want to think too hard.
Dirk Pitt is super annoying as a protagonist because he's described as 'practically perfect in every way'. He's tall, handsome, smart, athletic and gets all the ladies. There were so many instances when the way he was described made him seem cartoonish because of how unbelievable it was. For example his eyes are described in a ridiculous manner. "They seemed to reflect hardness, gentleness and sincere concern in one glinting montage." How can eyes both reflect hardness and gentleness? It’s an impossibility! We are also led to believe that his piercing gaze makes women weak in the knees. The book is a harlequin romance written by a man with a protagonist so unrealistic it ruined the book and every other Dirk Pitt story for me. On that note I do have one more Clive Cussler/Dirk Pitt book in my library called ”Inca Gold” that I am very tempted to read and then dispose of. I don’t think it’s too much to ask that readers are treated with a degree of intelligence by the author and I felt that while the story contained political intrigue, the story itself was dumbed down.
The sad part is I only picked up this book because it mentioned discovering the lost Library of Alexandria on the dust jacket. The problem is the Library is in fact, a Macguffin. The reader is lulled into thinking the story will be about bringing back the literary treasures of the past but the library storyline soon fades into the background only to reemerge at the very end of the book. It felt as if Cussler smushed together two different books. We start with the Library but a large portion of the book is taken up with international terrorists.
The strange thing is I own ”Sahara”, a Dirk Pitt movie based on a book of the same name. It’s actually pretty decent. Good action, characters and plot. I’ll have to revisit it and review it on here to contrast how Dirk Pitt can be handled well as a character. If you’re looking for something to read on the plane that’s action oriented but not too deep, pick up this book.
September 6, 2012
Two issues so far, roughly 24 chapters into it. In one chapter, we have a good guy call another good guy to tell him every detail of the super-special-secret plan, only for the good guy told to not do anything with said knowledge BUT the bad guys were spying on the now-in-the-know good guy, so now the bad guys know. The only reason for the good guy to tell the other good guy was so the author could make sure the bad guys found out about the super-special-secret plan by the good guys to foil the bad guys. Poor writing, not overly happy with it.
Second issue, I know Dirk Pitt (C) is the Bond of the underwater world, but does he absolutely HAVE to sleep with every skirt in the book? And where in the WORLD are the morals of these "ladies"? It's a miracle he doesn't have more children born out of wedlock and that he isn't blind and spazzy with an exotic STD or something.
I guess I should really take it for what it's worth and just go with it, but I'm starting to get tired of the machismo. Maybe I need more time in-between Cussler books. This may be a DNF or a skipped-a-lot-of-pages-just-to-get-to-the-end book. We'll see. I'm in the middle of so much right now, I think I will move this book onto the back-burner.
Second issue, I know Dirk Pitt (C) is the Bond of the underwater world, but does he absolutely HAVE to sleep with every skirt in the book? And where in the WORLD are the morals of these "ladies"? It's a miracle he doesn't have more children born out of wedlock and that he isn't blind and spazzy with an exotic STD or something.
I guess I should really take it for what it's worth and just go with it, but I'm starting to get tired of the machismo. Maybe I need more time in-between Cussler books. This may be a DNF or a skipped-a-lot-of-pages-just-to-get-to-the-end book. We'll see. I'm in the middle of so much right now, I think I will move this book onto the back-burner.
October 21, 2021
Dirk Pitt books blend together in my mind if I don't write a review right away. Only the most ridiculous details stand out in my mind over time. Here is what I remember from this one. There was a crazy car chase down a ski slope, and of course Pitt's love life was horribly written as usual. Pitt was half dead, and a woman comes into his hospital room and has sex with him because she finds him irresistible. I think he had just woken up from being unconscious, and he had been shot..maybe an explosion was involved too. There is always an explosion. I wish Pitt's sex life wasn't so completely absurd. I get it. This book is written by a man for men, but it is still stupid. What I like most about these books is the nostalgia of the Cold War. I know its kind of weird to say that I'm nostalgic for the Cold War, but political life seemed simpler.
March 23, 2008
A gem amongst thrillers...
Treasure's protagonist is again the indestructible, larger-than-life, and incurable Casanova, Dirk Pitt. This time he is on the search for treasures from the ancient Library of Alexandra. And these treasures are to be found in a place where nobody would expect them to be! While searching for the treasure, Dirk has to contend with hardened international criminals, terrorists and other unsavory characters. Dirk's own father is taken hostage in a conspiracy to take control of Egypt and Mexico and Dirk has to rescue him and some other world-influential people out of the situation. The novel is a real page-turner filled with over-the-top action, adventure and suspense and I would think the best of Clive Cussler's books that I have read thus far.
Treasure's protagonist is again the indestructible, larger-than-life, and incurable Casanova, Dirk Pitt. This time he is on the search for treasures from the ancient Library of Alexandra. And these treasures are to be found in a place where nobody would expect them to be! While searching for the treasure, Dirk has to contend with hardened international criminals, terrorists and other unsavory characters. Dirk's own father is taken hostage in a conspiracy to take control of Egypt and Mexico and Dirk has to rescue him and some other world-influential people out of the situation. The novel is a real page-turner filled with over-the-top action, adventure and suspense and I would think the best of Clive Cussler's books that I have read thus far.
March 19, 2019
This is my first Clive Cussler book (although I've loved the films of Sahara and Raise the Titanic). And all throughout, I kept thinking: is this what it's like to read a Chuck Tingle book? Like, every time Dirk Pitt arrived on the page, Cussler would go into such intense details about his rugged good looks, his cold, opal eyes, and his masculine prowess that I actually started to feel uncomfortable. Do you need me to leave the room, Clive?
Also, we can add this to the list of books that use black coffee as a shorthand for telling us how incredibly manly the hero is.
Also, we can add this to the list of books that use black coffee as a shorthand for telling us how incredibly manly the hero is.
November 7, 2009
This is the same comment for all the Dirk Pitt books:
Great set of books, I had to stagger these books into my reading rotation since they are so similar.
Dirk Series Book in less then 50 words.
(introduction to bad guy, introduction to hot chick, introduction to Dirk, Dirk gets in impossible dangerous situations to stop the bad guy, Dirk wins, Dirk gets the hot chick.)
Great set of books, I had to stagger these books into my reading rotation since they are so similar.
Dirk Series Book in less then 50 words.
(introduction to bad guy, introduction to hot chick, introduction to Dirk, Dirk gets in impossible dangerous situations to stop the bad guy, Dirk wins, Dirk gets the hot chick.)
March 1, 2017
The library of Alexandria, Egyptian and Mexican take -overs Arctic explorers are the ingredients to make this a good story. Again Cussler has anticipated current times with a rush of people from Mexico invading the southern USA, is this shades of Trump? Otherwise more of the same quasi death scenes turned into formidable escapes.
November 26, 2019
A race to find the lost treasures of Alexandria. There's terrorists invading America, and Pitt has the stuff to make things right.
Pretty good, with a counterintuitive spot for the treasure to be.
Pretty good, with a counterintuitive spot for the treasure to be.
September 5, 2018
Tutto parte da una moneta antica...
November 24, 2019
“My name is Dirk Pitt. My title is MISTER Pitt. My function is United States taxpayer, and you can go straight to hell.”
December 19, 2023
Devo ammettere che mi piace leggere i libri di Clive Cussler perché, con uno stile davvero coinvolgente e scorrevole, è in grado di unire l’avventura e l’azione (seppur traboccanti di esagerazioni) ad elementi storici interessanti.
C’è solo un problema quando la pila dei volumi letti inizia ad aumentare: nella mia memoria si confondono l’uno con l’altro e ho bisogno di alcuni attimi per fare mente locale e riuscire a ripescarne la trama (non è detto che ci riesca sempre, a volte ho bisogno di un ripasso…).
Oggettivamente, però, non credo che questa difficoltà si presenterà con “TESORO”, considerato che il tesoro a cui si riferisce il titolo è nientemeno quello della meravigliosa, e ormai perduta, Biblioteca di Alessandria d’Egitto.
Pare infatti che l’Impero Romano, sotto il regno di Teodosio e grazie all’intraprendenza di Venator (uno degli ultimi curatori della Biblioteca), sia riuscito a raggiungere luoghi allora inesplorati (l’America), per mettere al sicuro il prezioso contenuto di ciò che si stava delineando come un ricettacolo del paganesimo e, pertanto, ormai prossimo alla distruzione.
A tale vicenda di stampo archeologico, poi, se ne affianca un’altra che vede ovviamente protagonista il famigerato (quanto eccezionale) Dirk Pitt, affiancato dall’inseparabile Al Giordino e da tutto lo staff della NUMA.
Credo che la teoria complottista proposta in questo romanzo sia una tra le più assurde delle quali sia mai venuta a conoscenza: incredibilmente, pur componendosi di una miscela di spionaggio, terrorismo, dirottamenti e rapimenti, intrighi politici e la solita lotta all’ultimo sangue per il Potere, ha un suo senso logico.
C’è solo un problema quando la pila dei volumi letti inizia ad aumentare: nella mia memoria si confondono l’uno con l’altro e ho bisogno di alcuni attimi per fare mente locale e riuscire a ripescarne la trama (non è detto che ci riesca sempre, a volte ho bisogno di un ripasso…).
Oggettivamente, però, non credo che questa difficoltà si presenterà con “TESORO”, considerato che il tesoro a cui si riferisce il titolo è nientemeno quello della meravigliosa, e ormai perduta, Biblioteca di Alessandria d’Egitto.
Pare infatti che l’Impero Romano, sotto il regno di Teodosio e grazie all’intraprendenza di Venator (uno degli ultimi curatori della Biblioteca), sia riuscito a raggiungere luoghi allora inesplorati (l’America), per mettere al sicuro il prezioso contenuto di ciò che si stava delineando come un ricettacolo del paganesimo e, pertanto, ormai prossimo alla distruzione.
A tale vicenda di stampo archeologico, poi, se ne affianca un’altra che vede ovviamente protagonista il famigerato (quanto eccezionale) Dirk Pitt, affiancato dall’inseparabile Al Giordino e da tutto lo staff della NUMA.
Credo che la teoria complottista proposta in questo romanzo sia una tra le più assurde delle quali sia mai venuta a conoscenza: incredibilmente, pur componendosi di una miscela di spionaggio, terrorismo, dirottamenti e rapimenti, intrighi politici e la solita lotta all’ultimo sangue per il Potere, ha un suo senso logico.
November 26, 2020
This was a bit of a dud. The first problem is at the start of the book, there is a map showing the flight path of the Nebula Air plane carrying the General Secretary of the UN. Knowing where the plane ends up renders any suspense in the hijacking scene moot. It's kinda like Kafka opening The Trial by telling you in the first sentence that K has done nothing wrong. Why remove the element of doubt?
I also noticed at least one error in the text, where a character is misidentified. I'm sure there are more if I could be bothered to look. I have had mixed results with this author, and he's not known for refined prose. Here, his knack for action packed adventure stories didn't translate to a interesting story.
I also noticed at least one error in the text, where a character is misidentified. I'm sure there are more if I could be bothered to look. I have had mixed results with this author, and he's not known for refined prose. Here, his knack for action packed adventure stories didn't translate to a interesting story.
October 23, 2022
500+ pages from Greenland to the Straits of Magellan, from Egypt to Mexico, from ancient Byzantine civilization to 1991 USA.
As I read, I wondered why we were jumping around the globe so much, and could it have been broken down into two separate stories? Nope. It's all in there and it's all relevant in this installment from Clive Cussler's creative mind. His foresight amazes me as I read his work for the first time three decades after it was published.
As I read, I wondered why we were jumping around the globe so much, and could it have been broken down into two separate stories? Nope. It's all in there and it's all relevant in this installment from Clive Cussler's creative mind. His foresight amazes me as I read his work for the first time three decades after it was published.
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