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Dirk Pitt® #11
Sahara
A CREEPING RED TIDE OF DEATH...Deep in the African desert, Pitt discovers that a top secret science installation is leaking a lethal chemical into the rivers, threatening to kill thousands of people - and to destroy all life in the world's oceans.To warn the world of catastrophe, Pitt must escape death at the hands of a ruthless West African dictator and French industrialist, and undertake a long, perilous journey across the merciless Sahara...
655 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1992
550 people are currently reading
12933 people want to read
About the author
Clive Cussler
654 books8,565 followersCussler began writing novels in 1965 and published his first work featuring his continuous series hero, Dirk Pitt, in 1973. His first non-fiction, The Sea Hunters, was released in 1996. The Board of Governors of the Maritime College, State University of New York, considered The Sea Hunters in lieu of a Ph.D. thesis and awarded Cussler a Doctor of Letters degree in May, 1997. It was the first time since the College was founded in 1874 that such a degree was bestowed.
Cussler was an internationally recognized authority on shipwrecks and the founder of the National Underwater and Marine Agency, (NUMA) a 501C3 non-profit organization (named after the fictional Federal agency in his novels) that dedicates itself to preserving American maritime and naval history. He and his crew of marine experts and NUMA volunteers discovered more than 60 historically significant underwater wreck sites including the first submarine to sink a ship in battle, the Confederacy's Hunley, and its victim, the Union's Housatonic; the U-20, the U-boat that sank the Lusitania; the Cumberland, which was sunk by the famous ironclad, Merrimack; the renowned Confederate raider Florida; the Navy airship, Akron, the Republic of Texas Navy warship, Zavala, found under a parking lot in Galveston, and the Carpathia, which sank almost six years to-the-day after plucking Titanic's survivors from the sea.
In addition to being the Chairman of NUMA, Cussler was also a fellow in both the Explorers Club of New York and the Royal Geographic Society in London. He was honored with the Lowell Thomas Award for outstanding underwater exploration.
Cussler's books have been published in more than 40 languages in more than 100 countries. His past international bestsellers include Pacific Vortex, Mediterranean Caper, Iceberg, Raise the Titanic, Vixen 03, Night Probe, Deep Six, Cyclops, Treasure, Dragon, Sahara, Inca Gold, Shock Wave, Flood Tide, Atlantis Found, Valhalla Rising, Trojan Odyssey and Black Wind (this last with his son, Dirk Cussler); the nonfiction books The Sea Hunters, The Sea Hunters II and Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt Revealed; the NUMA® Files novels Serpent, Blue Gold, Fire Ice, White Death and Lost City (written with Paul Kemprecos); and the Oregon Files novels Sacred Stone and Golden Buddha (written with Craig Dirgo) and Dark Watch (written with Jack Du Brul).
Clive Cussler died at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona on February 24, 2020.
Cussler was an internationally recognized authority on shipwrecks and the founder of the National Underwater and Marine Agency, (NUMA) a 501C3 non-profit organization (named after the fictional Federal agency in his novels) that dedicates itself to preserving American maritime and naval history. He and his crew of marine experts and NUMA volunteers discovered more than 60 historically significant underwater wreck sites including the first submarine to sink a ship in battle, the Confederacy's Hunley, and its victim, the Union's Housatonic; the U-20, the U-boat that sank the Lusitania; the Cumberland, which was sunk by the famous ironclad, Merrimack; the renowned Confederate raider Florida; the Navy airship, Akron, the Republic of Texas Navy warship, Zavala, found under a parking lot in Galveston, and the Carpathia, which sank almost six years to-the-day after plucking Titanic's survivors from the sea.
In addition to being the Chairman of NUMA, Cussler was also a fellow in both the Explorers Club of New York and the Royal Geographic Society in London. He was honored with the Lowell Thomas Award for outstanding underwater exploration.
Cussler's books have been published in more than 40 languages in more than 100 countries. His past international bestsellers include Pacific Vortex, Mediterranean Caper, Iceberg, Raise the Titanic, Vixen 03, Night Probe, Deep Six, Cyclops, Treasure, Dragon, Sahara, Inca Gold, Shock Wave, Flood Tide, Atlantis Found, Valhalla Rising, Trojan Odyssey and Black Wind (this last with his son, Dirk Cussler); the nonfiction books The Sea Hunters, The Sea Hunters II and Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt Revealed; the NUMA® Files novels Serpent, Blue Gold, Fire Ice, White Death and Lost City (written with Paul Kemprecos); and the Oregon Files novels Sacred Stone and Golden Buddha (written with Craig Dirgo) and Dark Watch (written with Jack Du Brul).
Clive Cussler died at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona on February 24, 2020.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,167 reviews
November 4, 2024
If you enjoy a long, yes a very leisurely walk, and a few
interruptions in the beautiful Sahara, don't believe the propaganda, a magnificent vacation spot, maybe a little warm to some, (no problems for the genuine, the ordinary
pros) the meek amateurs, otherwise , full of rocks, interesting looking sand dunes and exotic insects, ever helpful birds that clean the land of unwanted debris , this paradise is your cup of tea. Dirk Pitt a marine engineer for an obscure American government agency in Washington City, Numa ...okay I will reveal its official name ...ready : National Underwater and Marine Agency...you asked for it. However when Admiral James Sandecker, his loyal boss needs a favor, Mr. Pitt will do a little extracurricular activity on his off days. A nice guy with a license to kill, excuse me I think this phrase is from another series. Along with Al Giordino his sidekick and best friend they travel the globe saving the world...you never knew...you are forgiven ... by the agency, after all they get paid. The plot, quite unique... villains are causing the Earth to be destroyed, well suffocated, no air, no living things, another potential Luna, who? Our heavenly companion, a lonely bright satellite above us . Sorry for the detour...A gigantic toxic Red Tide is endlessly expanding very rapidly in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of western Africa to be precise Nigeria, make that the Niger River killing the creatures who make oxygen in the seas, if not stopped, no more Dirk Pitt novels. Joined by a third pal Rudi Gunn, on a voyage up the puzzling Niger stream in a fabulous boat to find and eliminate the source of the menace, but the river is over 2,500 miles with numerous obstacles , crosses many unfriendly countries, yet the men when bored are not afraid to search for gold mines , lost planes and ships. This is were the "bad people " come into the picture, General Zateb Kazim the military dictator of Mali, where Timbuktu is located, the greedy billionaire , French businessman Yves Massarde his partner in crime welcome our heroes and give the adventurers a good time , torture some would call their greetings, the unkind, the evil ones; different customs are so misunderstood by outsiders...A fine book that gives the fans of Clive Cussler's, all the many good thrills they expect ...
Which keeps them coming back for more, this his most popular novel and the first for me, the uninitiated...I see why he is such an icon in the over the top action stories...much better than the usual for the genre and surprisingly exciting too , terrific entertainment value... such a great show.. Too much enthusiasm ?
interruptions in the beautiful Sahara, don't believe the propaganda, a magnificent vacation spot, maybe a little warm to some, (no problems for the genuine, the ordinary
pros) the meek amateurs, otherwise , full of rocks, interesting looking sand dunes and exotic insects, ever helpful birds that clean the land of unwanted debris , this paradise is your cup of tea. Dirk Pitt a marine engineer for an obscure American government agency in Washington City, Numa ...okay I will reveal its official name ...ready : National Underwater and Marine Agency...you asked for it. However when Admiral James Sandecker, his loyal boss needs a favor, Mr. Pitt will do a little extracurricular activity on his off days. A nice guy with a license to kill, excuse me I think this phrase is from another series. Along with Al Giordino his sidekick and best friend they travel the globe saving the world...you never knew...you are forgiven ... by the agency, after all they get paid. The plot, quite unique... villains are causing the Earth to be destroyed, well suffocated, no air, no living things, another potential Luna, who? Our heavenly companion, a lonely bright satellite above us . Sorry for the detour...A gigantic toxic Red Tide is endlessly expanding very rapidly in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of western Africa to be precise Nigeria, make that the Niger River killing the creatures who make oxygen in the seas, if not stopped, no more Dirk Pitt novels. Joined by a third pal Rudi Gunn, on a voyage up the puzzling Niger stream in a fabulous boat to find and eliminate the source of the menace, but the river is over 2,500 miles with numerous obstacles , crosses many unfriendly countries, yet the men when bored are not afraid to search for gold mines , lost planes and ships. This is were the "bad people " come into the picture, General Zateb Kazim the military dictator of Mali, where Timbuktu is located, the greedy billionaire , French businessman Yves Massarde his partner in crime welcome our heroes and give the adventurers a good time , torture some would call their greetings, the unkind, the evil ones; different customs are so misunderstood by outsiders...A fine book that gives the fans of Clive Cussler's, all the many good thrills they expect ...
Which keeps them coming back for more, this his most popular novel and the first for me, the uninitiated...I see why he is such an icon in the over the top action stories...much better than the usual for the genre and surprisingly exciting too , terrific entertainment value... such a great show.. Too much enthusiasm ?
August 21, 2007
Please, if you have seen the movie but have not read the book, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy. The movie was absolute shit. A complete bastardization of a great read. 3/4 of the book was not there. The actors sucked and the screen play...I have no words. The characters as Cussler writes them are fantastic. You get so wrapped up in this book you will not go to bed until you finish it. The story starts out with a bang and just keeps twisting and turning. This is not pulitzer material but it is a shit load of fun to read. You will not be dissapointed. I promise.
July 25, 2023
Clive Cussler seems to have a formula for writing Dirk Pitt novels, and I have to say it really works without actually feeling formulaic. They are all individual , with different settings, and different supporting people, with different adventures, however I think if you read them immediately one after another they may merge into one big story (almost).
It sounds like I'm criticising, but I'm not, a suitable gap between novels and you get a great rock and roll novel, that rips along , with great settings and great dangers, with a mostly happy end.
This is no different, interestingly this is about chemical pollution causing both human suffering and also algae blooms in the sea. Here we are 30 years on and very sadly for the human race, nothing much has changed, which makes this novel very relevant.
Dirk and Al investigate the algae bloom and find themselves in the middle of an adventure that involves Confederate Iron ships, UN chemists, a missing Australian aviatrix, a wealthy corrupt businessman, a tin pot dictator and waste management plants in the middle of the desert.
It is 600+ pages but I have to say it really did not feel that monster, and was a fun read. At the rate of one a month ash, I am not getting bored.
It sounds like I'm criticising, but I'm not, a suitable gap between novels and you get a great rock and roll novel, that rips along , with great settings and great dangers, with a mostly happy end.
This is no different, interestingly this is about chemical pollution causing both human suffering and also algae blooms in the sea. Here we are 30 years on and very sadly for the human race, nothing much has changed, which makes this novel very relevant.
Dirk and Al investigate the algae bloom and find themselves in the middle of an adventure that involves Confederate Iron ships, UN chemists, a missing Australian aviatrix, a wealthy corrupt businessman, a tin pot dictator and waste management plants in the middle of the desert.
It is 600+ pages but I have to say it really did not feel that monster, and was a fun read. At the rate of one a month ash, I am not getting bored.
July 14, 2009
This is the first book I've ever read that the movie is much better than the book. Skip the book, see the movie. Mr. Cussler redundantly over-explains even the most simplistic and obvious things and doesn't take full advantage of third person prose or even simple dialogue. His use of a dozen different plots is exhausting and completely unbelievable. In one book our hero saves the world from total oxygen depletion, takes down a dictator's regime, discovers a Civil War ironclad in the middle of the desert, stumbles upon the body and wreckage of a lost famous female pilot, uncovers a conspiracy to cover up the real demise of Abraham Lincoln, takes control of a dirty nuclear disposal site, frees a score of slaves in a gold mine, destroys one of the most wealthy and corrupt men in the world, successfully defends said slaves in an old fort from fighter jets, tanks and 2000 soldiers with just 40 people and luck. And that's not mentioning the fact that the way he inserts himself into the story is distracting and inane. Do not waste your time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2018
Okay. Statements like this got the feminist inside of me all sorts of angry...
'Like most women, Eva couldn't resist a take-charge man.'
'Like too many women who are drawn to aloof men who treat them indifferently, she could not help herself from falling in love with him.'
'Strangely, it was Pitt and not the woman who saw a magnificence in the parched and hostile landscape, despite the fact that it had almost killed him.'
'To a man, the Aussies climbed the steep bank to express their thanks and heartily shake Pitt and Giordino's hands.'
What does that even mean? 'To a man...' I'm just confused. Why was that even written as the opening for that particular sentence? It didn't make any sense. Unless it was... men express their gratitude by climbing up steep banks and heartily shaking hands with other men? Whatever.
So I tried to remind myself that this story was written in the 90's so I should give the author a break, right? Hmmm...
But then I read sentences like this and the human being inside of me started to really not like the author...
'Muriel Hoag was quite tall and built like a starving fashion model. She wore no makeup, which was just as well. A complete makeover by Beverly Hills' top beauty salon would have been a wasted effort.'
'Evan Holland... looked like a basset hound contemplating a frog in his dish. His ears were two sizes too large for his head...'
'His companion was a woman who was built like a gravel truck whose bed was fully loaded. She was dressed in a dirty loose-fitting dress that stopped short of the knees, revealing legs that were as thick as telephone poles.'
Ultimately, you're either Dirk Pitt and Eva Rojas or you're ugly. Like. Really ugly.
But then I read sentences like this and I found myself wanting to hide out of pure embarrassment for what was happening...
'Eva stumbled, barley able to keep on her feet, as Pitt helped her to where the laborers assembled. 'Al and I will get through,' he promised her. 'But you've got to hang on until we return with an armed force to rescue you and these other poor souls.'
'Now I have reason for living,' she said softly. 'I'll be waiting.'
He kissed her on the lips and the bruises on her face lightly...'
PS - They've known each other the total of one day. Actually, more like 4 hours. Pretty much he saved her from being murdered and then they had dinner. That's it. Seriously. 'Now I have reason for living.' BLAH.
'Giordino shook his head slowly, wonderingly, from side to side. It would have been the easiest thing in the world to... lie back on the ground, and let death peacefully carry him off to oblivion. The temptation was overwhelming. But deep inside him beat a heart that wouldn't quit and a brain that could not die without a fight.'
So. Dramatic.
Also. Dirk Pitt's perfectness is ridiculous.
'Like most women, Eva couldn't resist a take-charge man.'
'Like too many women who are drawn to aloof men who treat them indifferently, she could not help herself from falling in love with him.'
'Strangely, it was Pitt and not the woman who saw a magnificence in the parched and hostile landscape, despite the fact that it had almost killed him.'
'To a man, the Aussies climbed the steep bank to express their thanks and heartily shake Pitt and Giordino's hands.'
What does that even mean? 'To a man...' I'm just confused. Why was that even written as the opening for that particular sentence? It didn't make any sense. Unless it was... men express their gratitude by climbing up steep banks and heartily shaking hands with other men? Whatever.
So I tried to remind myself that this story was written in the 90's so I should give the author a break, right? Hmmm...
But then I read sentences like this and the human being inside of me started to really not like the author...
'Muriel Hoag was quite tall and built like a starving fashion model. She wore no makeup, which was just as well. A complete makeover by Beverly Hills' top beauty salon would have been a wasted effort.'
'Evan Holland... looked like a basset hound contemplating a frog in his dish. His ears were two sizes too large for his head...'
'His companion was a woman who was built like a gravel truck whose bed was fully loaded. She was dressed in a dirty loose-fitting dress that stopped short of the knees, revealing legs that were as thick as telephone poles.'
Ultimately, you're either Dirk Pitt and Eva Rojas or you're ugly. Like. Really ugly.
But then I read sentences like this and I found myself wanting to hide out of pure embarrassment for what was happening...
'Eva stumbled, barley able to keep on her feet, as Pitt helped her to where the laborers assembled. 'Al and I will get through,' he promised her. 'But you've got to hang on until we return with an armed force to rescue you and these other poor souls.'
'Now I have reason for living,' she said softly. 'I'll be waiting.'
He kissed her on the lips and the bruises on her face lightly...'
PS - They've known each other the total of one day. Actually, more like 4 hours. Pretty much he saved her from being murdered and then they had dinner. That's it. Seriously. 'Now I have reason for living.' BLAH.
'Giordino shook his head slowly, wonderingly, from side to side. It would have been the easiest thing in the world to... lie back on the ground, and let death peacefully carry him off to oblivion. The temptation was overwhelming. But deep inside him beat a heart that wouldn't quit and a brain that could not die without a fight.'
So. Dramatic.
Also. Dirk Pitt's perfectness is ridiculous.
November 3, 2024
Time for another Clive Cussler Wednesday!
For a guy working for NUMA, Dirk Pitt spends a lot of time in the desert.
I watched the movie based on this book several times. It wasn't so bad, but fairly generic, and Matthew McConaughey is not really action hero material. I can see why Hollywood wanted to make a movie based on this. I can see why they decided to change parts of the book. I can see why Clive Cussler became disgusted with the whole thing.
To the book...
Dirk Pitt is called to find the source of a mysterious pollutant that is causing a red tide capable of ending all life on the planet. He and his partners sail on the River Niger to find it. Of course, it's in the worst possible spot. Pitt wrangles with the dictator of Mali and a French billionaire to save the world.
Great stuff, lots of derring-do. Cli-fi fans should also enjoy it.
For a guy working for NUMA, Dirk Pitt spends a lot of time in the desert.
I watched the movie based on this book several times. It wasn't so bad, but fairly generic, and Matthew McConaughey is not really action hero material. I can see why Hollywood wanted to make a movie based on this. I can see why they decided to change parts of the book. I can see why Clive Cussler became disgusted with the whole thing.
To the book...
Dirk Pitt is called to find the source of a mysterious pollutant that is causing a red tide capable of ending all life on the planet. He and his partners sail on the River Niger to find it. Of course, it's in the worst possible spot. Pitt wrangles with the dictator of Mali and a French billionaire to save the world.
Great stuff, lots of derring-do. Cli-fi fans should also enjoy it.
January 21, 2025
I read Sahara a long time ago. I do not remember the story very well. Now days with our culture promoting strong heroine, I do miss a adventure story that is lead by hero. A smart hero. Mr Cussler books bring those memory back to me.
4 stars
4 stars
October 30, 2014
I am a great fan of action adventure and Cussler is like one of the superstars of this genre. I meant to read his book for a long time and Finally i finished Sahara. And believe me it was worth the wait. I am glad that I've started Cussler with this one. :D
Full on action right from the start. Evil industrialists, corrupt governments, an ecological disaster in the making that could
see the end of all life on earth. And of course there is a hot chick in distress ;)
The story has been broken into 3 pieces which have been methodically put together.
1865, A ironclad Confederate ship, the Texas is lost at sea amidst a raging battle, all the while playing host to an impossible man.
1931, Kitty Mannock crash lands into a Sahara Desert in the middle of trying to break a world record, only to be found 60 years later.
Present Day, The world is facing extinction in the form of oxygen depletion due to some
unknown source in Western Africa.
I enjoyed the depth to this book. The historical fiction aspect that Cussler brings in is an interesting element. He takes a great
story line, in and of itself, and throws in some historical based plots that enrich the reading experience. This was a unique read for me and I am now moving on to other Cussler novels.
Brilliant twists and turns. A must read for fans of the fast paced action genre.
Full on action right from the start. Evil industrialists, corrupt governments, an ecological disaster in the making that could
see the end of all life on earth. And of course there is a hot chick in distress ;)
The story has been broken into 3 pieces which have been methodically put together.
1865, A ironclad Confederate ship, the Texas is lost at sea amidst a raging battle, all the while playing host to an impossible man.
1931, Kitty Mannock crash lands into a Sahara Desert in the middle of trying to break a world record, only to be found 60 years later.
Present Day, The world is facing extinction in the form of oxygen depletion due to some
unknown source in Western Africa.
I enjoyed the depth to this book. The historical fiction aspect that Cussler brings in is an interesting element. He takes a great
story line, in and of itself, and throws in some historical based plots that enrich the reading experience. This was a unique read for me and I am now moving on to other Cussler novels.
Brilliant twists and turns. A must read for fans of the fast paced action genre.
October 23, 2014
I saw the movie & then read the book. It wasn't bad, but was definitely a candy read. A lot of unlikely events come together to make this a non-stop thriller. Suspension of disbelief is a must from the get go, but there is enough logic overall to make it enjoyable. Pitt reminds me of a modern James Bond from the movies - not the books - in that he's the man's man, equally at home underwater or climbing a mountain, with top skills in just about everything, handsome, witty, & .... Well, you get the picture.
Cussler is definitely a writer to read rather than listen to as I realized with Atlantis Found (although that entire plot was a train wreck). He's not a great writer, rather too wordy for me & those words often get him into trouble.
One of these days I might get around to reading one of the earlier books in the series, but I certainly won't read any later ones. I can't say with any certainty, but it seems to me that Cussler is cranking them out & getting wilder ideas as the series goes on.
Cussler is definitely a writer to read rather than listen to as I realized with Atlantis Found (although that entire plot was a train wreck). He's not a great writer, rather too wordy for me & those words often get him into trouble.
One of these days I might get around to reading one of the earlier books in the series, but I certainly won't read any later ones. I can't say with any certainty, but it seems to me that Cussler is cranking them out & getting wilder ideas as the series goes on.
August 12, 2022
One of Cussler's best.
September 12, 2022
Definitely enjoyed this one.
June 25, 2022
DNF. Ik heb tot blz. 120 gelezen en het boek kon mij totaal niet boeien. Dan ben ik reviews gaan lezen, en daar ongeveer de helft daarvan het boek ook maar 1 of 2 sterren gaf, ben ik tot de conclusie gekomen dat ik tot die helft behoor die liever iets anders leest. Spijtig, maar ik heb nog zoveel boeken op mijn TBR lijst....
July 19, 2011
I loved this book, it was one of my favorite until some of his new ones came out. I love the surprise ending, it was a great book and the movie was great fun. If all you have seen is the movie then you have missed the best part of the duo. The combination of Al and Dirk is so good in this book just like in their other books where they are together. They play well off of each other and the story moves forward as seen through their eyes. Even though you know that everything will be all right these books are still fun to read. Love you CLIVE CUSSLER. The best part of his books is that the language and sex is minimal or non existence!
April 9, 2009
Great survival adventure with zombies and toxic waste all on top of a shocking conspiracy theory. I know that movies never ever live up to the books they were based on, but this one takes the cake. If I heard right, Cussler even tried to sue the movie for using his character names and book title because the movie was so far from the book. The characters were all wrong, the plot was missing its key element and the action (that movies usually can replicate to a degree) was boring. But, the book still rocks!
March 6, 2015
Another great Clive Cussler book. I really liked the crazed-zombie-style aspect of the Africans that got contaminated. There's also the stellar opening, which is really what makes these books so good - they pull you in quickly with that historical fiction.
I read this a few years after watching the movie, and after I'd read the other 10 books. It's a good read, and I'd pick it up in your used bookstore (do we really need another 90 million of these in print?)
I read this a few years after watching the movie, and after I'd read the other 10 books. It's a good read, and I'd pick it up in your used bookstore (do we really need another 90 million of these in print?)
November 16, 2018
I see now why it's called Sahara, because the writing is as dry as that desert.
I have never before read a book where the author thought dialogue was the exact same thing as exposition dump. I mean, I've read books approaching that mistake, we all have, but this took the cake. This reached parody levels.
The book got off to a good, promising start - one that never continued - and the action scenes are - serviceable, I guess? But the dialogue, oh god the dialogue. Clive does not know how to write dialogue. It is completely interchangeable, painful exposition dump after painful exposition dump.
Clive thinks it necessary to actually tell us, repeatedly, not only what is happening but what has JUST HAPPENED even though WE WERE THERE.
*characters do something significant/event happens to them*
One character to the other: "So this just happened, eight seconds ago"
Other character: "Please explain further. Do it not like I'm your friend but like I'm your examiner and you're submitting me your report on it."
First character: "Glady. Let me tell you what we both just experienced. Then I'll answer your questions about it - despite the fact you already know the answer - and I'll answer them again. Then later on we can switch roles and do the same thing again."
Second character: "I love that we're each other's soundboards. It makes me feel so special."
Because this doesn't just happen once. It happens continuously, about the same things. Clive must think his audience is dumber than a box of rocks. His characters talk like they've suddenly turned to the camera and engaged in monotone fourth-wall breaking delivery. I've seen more charismatic, naturalistic dialogue in a engineering survey. This book would be so, so much better if all dialogue was expunged and Dirk and his presumable friends - and enemies - were all mute puppets lurching across the desert and attempting cavalier smiles/Machiavellian sneers at the camera.
I cannot express how dry this novel is. How repetitive it is. How artificially drawn out the length is. How dull the relentless exposition is (cut it out and the whole novel would probably be halved in size, and significantly better for it), not to mention how they made what should have been an against-the-clock doomsday plot into a boring academic treatise with zero tension or excitement. Clive's characters drone on so much about the technical specifics of the disaster about to befall humanity - and do it so often, and in such academic detail - that you just want to fall asleep on the book and hope the apocalypse actually does arrive so at least then people might show some emotion. Then again, they'd probably just say things like, "I am feeling sad right now. Because last page this happened and then this happened and it happened because..."
Dirk is clearly supposed to be a Bond figure, but he comes across as a banal snob with artificial charisma and there is zero sense why the woman suddenly falls in love with him despite her having barely any significance to the plot (and not much more presence - she drops out of the novel for very large periods of time to no effect, and is, of course, saved by the supposedly dashing Dirk). We're told Dirk is a handsome rogue but he talks like a charmless, unpleasant, arrogant bureaucrat who was raised by computers.
Then again, so does everyone else in the novel, bar the occasional character which is the standard template with an added stereotype on top. Crikey! Blimey! Top hole!
A few things more can be added to this novel: Can-never-fail protagonist, can-never-succeed antagonist, white saviour complex (saving other white people and massacring literally hundreds if not thousands of evil brown people, carefree protags acting as though they were completely in the right to be there in a foreign country, despite no sanction for the politically explosive behaviour, and barely a damn given about the locals - even leaving them all behind in a slavery rescue (one with Holocaust allusions) to fend for themselves, because dammit, we only care about OUR people!), plentiful casual sexism (more bearable if there was any charm to any of the characters, and if the woman wasn't simply a pointless and ineffective fawning damsel, despite her intellectual listed credentials), and, as mentioned, no personalities anywhere to be seen.
On top of that, a sporadic Confederate-era mystery that pops up like three times in the plot and has nothing to do with anything else at all, and the conspiracy at the end that wraps it all up is absolutely inane, at least it is the way it's described. It involves one of the most famous people in history's wife sitting next to them for hours and not recognising that they're not their husband but a random person. Just like the hundreds of others in the same room not recognising the swap. The same wool is pulled over the eyes of dozens, hundreds, thousands, millions of others.
Again - no charm. No "oooh, wow!" Instead we just get Ben Stein reading this textbook to us as we fall asleep, and then as soon as we wake up he does it again. And again. And again.
Drier than the Sahara. And a great example of what I'd call an "airport novel".
P.S. It's a small example but to me it sticks sorely in my brain. Clive (or, worse yet, his characters), at several points in the book, tells us how far something is in kilometres, then immediately tells us what that is in miles. Take from that what you will.
P.P.S. Clive Cussler himself is in this book. I've heard he appears in many of his books. It's lame, and he actually harms his own personality by making himself one of his own characters.
I have never before read a book where the author thought dialogue was the exact same thing as exposition dump. I mean, I've read books approaching that mistake, we all have, but this took the cake. This reached parody levels.
The book got off to a good, promising start - one that never continued - and the action scenes are - serviceable, I guess? But the dialogue, oh god the dialogue. Clive does not know how to write dialogue. It is completely interchangeable, painful exposition dump after painful exposition dump.
Clive thinks it necessary to actually tell us, repeatedly, not only what is happening but what has JUST HAPPENED even though WE WERE THERE.
*characters do something significant/event happens to them*
One character to the other: "So this just happened, eight seconds ago"
Other character: "Please explain further. Do it not like I'm your friend but like I'm your examiner and you're submitting me your report on it."
First character: "Glady. Let me tell you what we both just experienced. Then I'll answer your questions about it - despite the fact you already know the answer - and I'll answer them again. Then later on we can switch roles and do the same thing again."
Second character: "I love that we're each other's soundboards. It makes me feel so special."
Because this doesn't just happen once. It happens continuously, about the same things. Clive must think his audience is dumber than a box of rocks. His characters talk like they've suddenly turned to the camera and engaged in monotone fourth-wall breaking delivery. I've seen more charismatic, naturalistic dialogue in a engineering survey. This book would be so, so much better if all dialogue was expunged and Dirk and his presumable friends - and enemies - were all mute puppets lurching across the desert and attempting cavalier smiles/Machiavellian sneers at the camera.
I cannot express how dry this novel is. How repetitive it is. How artificially drawn out the length is. How dull the relentless exposition is (cut it out and the whole novel would probably be halved in size, and significantly better for it), not to mention how they made what should have been an against-the-clock doomsday plot into a boring academic treatise with zero tension or excitement. Clive's characters drone on so much about the technical specifics of the disaster about to befall humanity - and do it so often, and in such academic detail - that you just want to fall asleep on the book and hope the apocalypse actually does arrive so at least then people might show some emotion. Then again, they'd probably just say things like, "I am feeling sad right now. Because last page this happened and then this happened and it happened because..."
Dirk is clearly supposed to be a Bond figure, but he comes across as a banal snob with artificial charisma and there is zero sense why the woman suddenly falls in love with him despite her having barely any significance to the plot (and not much more presence - she drops out of the novel for very large periods of time to no effect, and is, of course, saved by the supposedly dashing Dirk). We're told Dirk is a handsome rogue but he talks like a charmless, unpleasant, arrogant bureaucrat who was raised by computers.
Then again, so does everyone else in the novel, bar the occasional character which is the standard template with an added stereotype on top. Crikey! Blimey! Top hole!
A few things more can be added to this novel: Can-never-fail protagonist, can-never-succeed antagonist, white saviour complex (saving other white people and massacring literally hundreds if not thousands of evil brown people, carefree protags acting as though they were completely in the right to be there in a foreign country, despite no sanction for the politically explosive behaviour, and barely a damn given about the locals - even leaving them all behind in a slavery rescue (one with Holocaust allusions) to fend for themselves, because dammit, we only care about OUR people!), plentiful casual sexism (more bearable if there was any charm to any of the characters, and if the woman wasn't simply a pointless and ineffective fawning damsel, despite her intellectual listed credentials), and, as mentioned, no personalities anywhere to be seen.
On top of that, a sporadic Confederate-era mystery that pops up like three times in the plot and has nothing to do with anything else at all, and the conspiracy at the end that wraps it all up is absolutely inane, at least it is the way it's described. It involves one of the most famous people in history's wife sitting next to them for hours and not recognising that they're not their husband but a random person. Just like the hundreds of others in the same room not recognising the swap. The same wool is pulled over the eyes of dozens, hundreds, thousands, millions of others.
Again - no charm. No "oooh, wow!" Instead we just get Ben Stein reading this textbook to us as we fall asleep, and then as soon as we wake up he does it again. And again. And again.
Drier than the Sahara. And a great example of what I'd call an "airport novel".
P.S. It's a small example but to me it sticks sorely in my brain. Clive (or, worse yet, his characters), at several points in the book, tells us how far something is in kilometres, then immediately tells us what that is in miles. Take from that what you will.
P.P.S. Clive Cussler himself is in this book. I've heard he appears in many of his books. It's lame, and he actually harms his own personality by making himself one of his own characters.
April 11, 2014
Overdone and convoluted. Though certainly containing some intriguing mystery, the writing is very bland and unexciting; the action is ridiculous and unnecessarily violent; the dialogue is flat and limited to lengthy tech talk that would make a star fleet engineer's head spin; and the character development is basic at best. Furthermore, this book is pretty sexist--take this passage: "Like most women, Eva couldn't resist a take-charge man." On the other hand, the movie is actually way better, and has brisk, witty dialogue; fun and mostly believable action; intriguing historical mysteries; good humor; and great acting. Advice: Don't bother with this book. Watch the movie (it has better writing).
October 22, 2015
Dirk Pitt is the Indiana Jones of the contemporary times. He has an extra oomph about him which is missing in Indie.
Sahara starts with a scene just a week before the surrender of Confederate forces of Robert E. Lee in 1865. The plot then moves to 1931, when a lady, Kitty Mannock, is flying over the Sahara in quest of a new aviation record. And then it moves to 1996. A convoy of tourists are crossing the Sahara on a fleet of Land Rovers when they reach a scheduled stop at a village in the country of Mali. They find it is unusually deserted, but as they are refreshing themselves at the village well they are attacked by red-eyed savages who kill and eat them. Only the tour guide escapes with his life.
This starts the fast pace story. Dirk Pitt working in Egypt rescues Dr. Eva Rojas, a scientist working for the World Health Organization, from a mysterious attacker. Shortly thereafter, Eva flies to Mali with an international team of scientists to investigate a mysterious disease that has been reported from various desert villages.
In the meanwhile a strange red tide growing unnaturally fast threatens to consume the world's oxygen supply and extinguish almost all life. The growth speed is suspected to be fueled by some type of pollutant.
Dirk and his sidekick Al are ordered to cruise up the Niger River to search for the pollutant, and determine where it enters the river. While navigating up the river, in Benin, they are forced to engage its navy. They escape the attack and continue upstream identifying the pollutant, and at last finding the spot where it appears in the river. However, they fail to find the source in the vicinity.
Anything more would spoil the novel. It is a fast pace thriller and an enjoyable read.
Sahara starts with a scene just a week before the surrender of Confederate forces of Robert E. Lee in 1865. The plot then moves to 1931, when a lady, Kitty Mannock, is flying over the Sahara in quest of a new aviation record. And then it moves to 1996. A convoy of tourists are crossing the Sahara on a fleet of Land Rovers when they reach a scheduled stop at a village in the country of Mali. They find it is unusually deserted, but as they are refreshing themselves at the village well they are attacked by red-eyed savages who kill and eat them. Only the tour guide escapes with his life.
This starts the fast pace story. Dirk Pitt working in Egypt rescues Dr. Eva Rojas, a scientist working for the World Health Organization, from a mysterious attacker. Shortly thereafter, Eva flies to Mali with an international team of scientists to investigate a mysterious disease that has been reported from various desert villages.
In the meanwhile a strange red tide growing unnaturally fast threatens to consume the world's oxygen supply and extinguish almost all life. The growth speed is suspected to be fueled by some type of pollutant.
Dirk and his sidekick Al are ordered to cruise up the Niger River to search for the pollutant, and determine where it enters the river. While navigating up the river, in Benin, they are forced to engage its navy. They escape the attack and continue upstream identifying the pollutant, and at last finding the spot where it appears in the river. However, they fail to find the source in the vicinity.
Anything more would spoil the novel. It is a fast pace thriller and an enjoyable read.
July 11, 2013
Loved this book. Wish it had more Civil War content, instead of it just being a subtext...
I want to talk about the Movie that came out about this... it's a tangent, so bear with me... when I read a book, my imagination always supplies the face and mannerisms and perhaps the actor- of the characters in the text.
I just wanted to say that I was at first skeptical, then happy with the casting of Matthew McConagnahy as Dirk Pitt! Of course, although I love Steve Zahn- and he was hilarious in Sahara, he is absolutely WRONG for Al Giordino. I think Danny DeVito would have been closer... someone with massive arms and barrel chest even better. Maybe a younger John Rhys-Davies... he would be a closer match to the character in Cussler's series. But I thought that Rainne Wilson was pretty good for Rudi Gunn... and William H. Macy was PERFECT as Sandecker! Of Course, Bill could pull off Sister Teresa...
Get Sahara and have fun. Then watch the movie, too.
I want to talk about the Movie that came out about this... it's a tangent, so bear with me... when I read a book, my imagination always supplies the face and mannerisms and perhaps the actor- of the characters in the text.
I just wanted to say that I was at first skeptical, then happy with the casting of Matthew McConagnahy as Dirk Pitt! Of course, although I love Steve Zahn- and he was hilarious in Sahara, he is absolutely WRONG for Al Giordino. I think Danny DeVito would have been closer... someone with massive arms and barrel chest even better. Maybe a younger John Rhys-Davies... he would be a closer match to the character in Cussler's series. But I thought that Rainne Wilson was pretty good for Rudi Gunn... and William H. Macy was PERFECT as Sandecker! Of Course, Bill could pull off Sister Teresa...
Get Sahara and have fun. Then watch the movie, too.
September 16, 2018
โคตรสนุก เป็น Action/Adventure ท่ีลุ้นไปกับการเเก้ปัญหาเฉพาะหน้าของสถานการณ์วายป่วงที่ Pitt ต้องเ��อ สเกลเรื่องใหญ่มาก (ครอบคลุมส่วนใหญ่ของเเอฟริกา)
ถ้าใครชอบเเนว อินเดียน่าโจนส์ผสมกับอีธาน ฮันส์ เเนะนำเลยครับ
ถ้าใครชอบเเนว อินเดียน่าโจนส์ผสมกับอีธาน ฮันส์ เเนะนำเลยครับ
August 10, 2025
„Wystarczy, że przeczyta pan jutro gazety. To najpewniejszy, najbardziej sprawdzony sposób poznawania najtajniejszych tajemnic państwowych.”
Cierpliwość. Ta książka bardzo potrzebuje cierpliwości. Cieszę się, że ją z siebie wykrzesałam i zdołałam ją dokończyć.
Cierpliwość. Ta książka bardzo potrzebuje cierpliwości. Cieszę się, że ją z siebie wykrzesałam i zdołałam ją dokończyć.
February 19, 2020
Within the vastness of the Malian Sahara hides numerous mysteries, some like the desert itself are deadly and some will change history. Sahara is the eleventh book in Clive Cussler’s Dirk Pitt series as the titular character traverses back and forth across to save the world from a threat created from chemical pollutants.
A week before the surrender at Appomattox the ironclad CSS Texas runs the gauntlet of Union ships and artillery down the James River then heads out to the Atlantic after displaying their prisoner, Abraham Lincoln. Secretary of War Edwin Stanton sets up a hoax assassination with the murder of an actor at Ford’s Theater by setting up John Wilkes Booth. In 1931 Kitty Mannock is flying over the Sahara in quest of a new aviation record when a sandstorm takes out her engine and she crashes in the desert; she dies ten days later but after finding an iron ship. In the present a convoy of tourists crossing the Sahara reach a scheduled stop at a village in the country of Mali where they are attacked by red-eyed savages who kill and eat them, with only the tour guide escaping. Meanwhile, working in Egypt on an archaeological mapping of the Nile, Dirk Pitt rescues Dr. Eva Rojas, a scientist working for the World Health Organization, from assassins sent by the military dictator of Mali Zateb Kazim with the backing of French businessman Yves Massarde. Eva’s WHO team flies to Mali investigate a mysterious disease while Pitt, Al Giordino, and Rudy Gunn are ordered up the Niger River to find a pollutant that is causing red tide to mushroom out of control and where that pollutant is coming from. The WHO team and the NUMA trio run afoul of Kazim and Massarde with the former captured and sent to a unknown gold mine as slave labor and the former running around Mali to find the source of the pollutant that Gunn has identified and escaped the country to report on. Pitt and Giordino find out Massarde’s detoxification facility is the culprit but are captured and sent to the gold mine, but escape over the desert and only saved by finding Kitty Mannock’s plane and salvage the parts to escape to Algeria via land yacht. Once in Algeria, Pitt and Giordino lead a UN rescue team on an assault on the gold mine to rescue foreign nations then battle the Malians in an abandoned French Foreign Legion fort until US Special Forces arrive in relief and kill Kazim in the process. Pitt and Giordino capture Massarde, poison him with contaminated water so he dies as a savage madman. The two then venture out into the Sahara using Mannock’s journal to locate the CSS Texas and find Lincoln.
The Lincoln subplot—including everything connected with it—is the major reason this book barely gets the rating it does, it’s bad and ruins an otherwise good book. The next complaint is the “happy ever after” type ending which features the secondary characters introduced in the books, which along with the previous subplot soured the ending of the book. Cussler’s female characters were an assortment of good and bad, the tertiary characters like soldiers in the UN rescue team who were actual soldiers not medics stood out because the major female character (Rojas) might have been a doctor but was two-dimensional. The main plot with Pitt, Giordino, and the major antagonists was actually very good as well as the Kitty Mannock subplot, however everything else just brought it down the overall book.
Sahara is a book that was good but could have been better if not for subplot and characterization choices that Clive Cussler made. Pitt is at his action-packed adventurer best, but it was fringe features that distracted me from enjoying things.
A week before the surrender at Appomattox the ironclad CSS Texas runs the gauntlet of Union ships and artillery down the James River then heads out to the Atlantic after displaying their prisoner, Abraham Lincoln. Secretary of War Edwin Stanton sets up a hoax assassination with the murder of an actor at Ford’s Theater by setting up John Wilkes Booth. In 1931 Kitty Mannock is flying over the Sahara in quest of a new aviation record when a sandstorm takes out her engine and she crashes in the desert; she dies ten days later but after finding an iron ship. In the present a convoy of tourists crossing the Sahara reach a scheduled stop at a village in the country of Mali where they are attacked by red-eyed savages who kill and eat them, with only the tour guide escaping. Meanwhile, working in Egypt on an archaeological mapping of the Nile, Dirk Pitt rescues Dr. Eva Rojas, a scientist working for the World Health Organization, from assassins sent by the military dictator of Mali Zateb Kazim with the backing of French businessman Yves Massarde. Eva’s WHO team flies to Mali investigate a mysterious disease while Pitt, Al Giordino, and Rudy Gunn are ordered up the Niger River to find a pollutant that is causing red tide to mushroom out of control and where that pollutant is coming from. The WHO team and the NUMA trio run afoul of Kazim and Massarde with the former captured and sent to a unknown gold mine as slave labor and the former running around Mali to find the source of the pollutant that Gunn has identified and escaped the country to report on. Pitt and Giordino find out Massarde’s detoxification facility is the culprit but are captured and sent to the gold mine, but escape over the desert and only saved by finding Kitty Mannock’s plane and salvage the parts to escape to Algeria via land yacht. Once in Algeria, Pitt and Giordino lead a UN rescue team on an assault on the gold mine to rescue foreign nations then battle the Malians in an abandoned French Foreign Legion fort until US Special Forces arrive in relief and kill Kazim in the process. Pitt and Giordino capture Massarde, poison him with contaminated water so he dies as a savage madman. The two then venture out into the Sahara using Mannock’s journal to locate the CSS Texas and find Lincoln.
The Lincoln subplot—including everything connected with it—is the major reason this book barely gets the rating it does, it’s bad and ruins an otherwise good book. The next complaint is the “happy ever after” type ending which features the secondary characters introduced in the books, which along with the previous subplot soured the ending of the book. Cussler’s female characters were an assortment of good and bad, the tertiary characters like soldiers in the UN rescue team who were actual soldiers not medics stood out because the major female character (Rojas) might have been a doctor but was two-dimensional. The main plot with Pitt, Giordino, and the major antagonists was actually very good as well as the Kitty Mannock subplot, however everything else just brought it down the overall book.
Sahara is a book that was good but could have been better if not for subplot and characterization choices that Clive Cussler made. Pitt is at his action-packed adventurer best, but it was fringe features that distracted me from enjoying things.
May 22, 2018
Nothing makes my love of writing come alive quite like the realization that even the worst novels can become best sellers. It is clear that Clive Cussler knows a thing or two about oceanography and engineering, but what he makes up for in scientific and historical knowledge, he lacks in any kind of literary skill whatsoever.
His writing style is so awkward that it's cringe-worthy. It is as if he realizes that quite a lot of his novel is very difficult to believe, so he tries to explain things away by shoving as much rationalization into one sentence as possible. For example, hero Dirk Pitt rescues a "beautiful and brilliant" woman, Eva Rojas, who was being worked to death as a slave in a gold mine. Less than an hour after rescuing her, there's this gem:
"Pitt made a quick check on Eva, amazed at her rapid revival after drinking nearly a gallon of water and ravenously downing a quick meal provided by the UN medical team." It's an unsavory mouthful.
The novel begins with not one, but two prologues, which only serve to soften the blow of the world's most improbable coincidence much later in the novel. After that, the plot thinnens.
Special attention must be paid to Cussler's complete inability to breathe life into his characters. After the initial description of each character, every person in the book becomes indistinguishable from each other. The only way the author can give a character any personality is by making them an embarrassing stereotype. A notable example here is one Mr Pembroke-Smythe, whose over-the-top poshness is so sickeningly to the point of being outright racist. During a climactic scene, this Pembroke-Smythe chimes in with, "Jolly good show!... You hit the bleeding wogs where it hurts most."
Dialogue is a notoriously difficult thing for a lot of writers to get right, and Cussler clearly decided not to even try. He simply dumps a load of clumsy exposition onto the page and wraps quotation marks around it. In a final confrontation with one of the book's villains, hero Dirk Pitt lectures, "If you're referring to the families you forced into slavery, yes. As we speak, they're all on their way to safety, thanks to the sacrifices laid down by the UN Tactical Team and the timely arrival of an American Special Operations Force." One gets the feeling that if Cussler were a film director he would have all his actors turn and look directly into the camera when they delivered their lines.
It is an awful book. I've wasted enough time on it, and on the author, but I would like to end with this wonderful piece of writing that is so typical of Sahara:
"'This mummy in the rocking chair,' whispered Giordino, staring in rigid awe, 'sitting here in the remains of a Confederate warship covered by a sand dune in the middle of the Sahara Desert is truly Abraham Lincoln?'"
His writing style is so awkward that it's cringe-worthy. It is as if he realizes that quite a lot of his novel is very difficult to believe, so he tries to explain things away by shoving as much rationalization into one sentence as possible. For example, hero Dirk Pitt rescues a "beautiful and brilliant" woman, Eva Rojas, who was being worked to death as a slave in a gold mine. Less than an hour after rescuing her, there's this gem:
"Pitt made a quick check on Eva, amazed at her rapid revival after drinking nearly a gallon of water and ravenously downing a quick meal provided by the UN medical team." It's an unsavory mouthful.
The novel begins with not one, but two prologues, which only serve to soften the blow of the world's most improbable coincidence much later in the novel. After that, the plot thinnens.
Special attention must be paid to Cussler's complete inability to breathe life into his characters. After the initial description of each character, every person in the book becomes indistinguishable from each other. The only way the author can give a character any personality is by making them an embarrassing stereotype. A notable example here is one Mr Pembroke-Smythe, whose over-the-top poshness is so sickeningly to the point of being outright racist. During a climactic scene, this Pembroke-Smythe chimes in with, "Jolly good show!... You hit the bleeding wogs where it hurts most."
Dialogue is a notoriously difficult thing for a lot of writers to get right, and Cussler clearly decided not to even try. He simply dumps a load of clumsy exposition onto the page and wraps quotation marks around it. In a final confrontation with one of the book's villains, hero Dirk Pitt lectures, "If you're referring to the families you forced into slavery, yes. As we speak, they're all on their way to safety, thanks to the sacrifices laid down by the UN Tactical Team and the timely arrival of an American Special Operations Force." One gets the feeling that if Cussler were a film director he would have all his actors turn and look directly into the camera when they delivered their lines.
It is an awful book. I've wasted enough time on it, and on the author, but I would like to end with this wonderful piece of writing that is so typical of Sahara:
"'This mummy in the rocking chair,' whispered Giordino, staring in rigid awe, 'sitting here in the remains of a Confederate warship covered by a sand dune in the middle of the Sahara Desert is truly Abraham Lincoln?'"
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2011
My first Dirk Pitt Adventure novel. Unfortunately, I wasn't all that impressed.
Cussler lost me pretty early when one of the secondary characters, some scientist-type on a boat, pulled out a pair of M16s (one in each hand) and fired at another boat some distance away, managing to hit his targets. Seriously?!?! After that scene I pretty much had a negative attitude towards everything else that was to come.
There were a couple of cartoon villains who liked to chat with our heroes revealing their evil plans. And they were able to press secret buttons on desks which would open concealed doors where guards were always waiting.
The heroes, Pitt and Giordino, seemed rather unstable. They'd be fighting tears as some odd kid loses a ball over a fence and cries, then one of them would shoot a woman in the knee caps and stomach and watch her bleed to death. I'm overly exaggerating, no kid lost a ball, but their personalities/emotions/whatever did seem to jump all over the place throughout the book.
A lot of the conversation read like entries in an encyclopedia. Like Cussler was just showing off his knowledge and not caring if it was hindering the flow of the story. Other times he would explain things as if talking to a very slow child with a learning disability and English as a second language. Thanks, Clive!
“In every country but ours it's known as football.” Uh, no. Not in my country. Thanks, Clive!
I could go on, but I've never actually written a negative review about anything before and I'm feeling kind of guilty. So I will say that I never was bored at any point. Incredulous, sure. Insulted, sure. Angry, oh yeah. Bored, nope. The Lincoln conspiracy was an interesting idea too.
I'd read another or three of Cussler's books without any hesitation.
(I watched the movie with Matthew-I-hate-wearing-shirts-McConaughey and Steve Zahn right after I finished the book and was actually entertained. AND THERE WAS NO M-16 SCENE!!! It was even too much for the movie. Though a flare gun was not...)
Cussler lost me pretty early when one of the secondary characters, some scientist-type on a boat, pulled out a pair of M16s (one in each hand) and fired at another boat some distance away, managing to hit his targets. Seriously?!?! After that scene I pretty much had a negative attitude towards everything else that was to come.
There were a couple of cartoon villains who liked to chat with our heroes revealing their evil plans. And they were able to press secret buttons on desks which would open concealed doors where guards were always waiting.
The heroes, Pitt and Giordino, seemed rather unstable. They'd be fighting tears as some odd kid loses a ball over a fence and cries, then one of them would shoot a woman in the knee caps and stomach and watch her bleed to death. I'm overly exaggerating, no kid lost a ball, but their personalities/emotions/whatever did seem to jump all over the place throughout the book.
A lot of the conversation read like entries in an encyclopedia. Like Cussler was just showing off his knowledge and not caring if it was hindering the flow of the story. Other times he would explain things as if talking to a very slow child with a learning disability and English as a second language. Thanks, Clive!
“In every country but ours it's known as football.” Uh, no. Not in my country. Thanks, Clive!
I could go on, but I've never actually written a negative review about anything before and I'm feeling kind of guilty. So I will say that I never was bored at any point. Incredulous, sure. Insulted, sure. Angry, oh yeah. Bored, nope. The Lincoln conspiracy was an interesting idea too.
I'd read another or three of Cussler's books without any hesitation.
(I watched the movie with Matthew-I-hate-wearing-shirts-McConaughey and Steve Zahn right after I finished the book and was actually entertained. AND THERE WAS NO M-16 SCENE!!! It was even too much for the movie. Though a flare gun was not...)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2009
Book Report: Sahara
Clive Cussler’s novel Sahara astounded me with its intense plot, diverse characters, and intriguing settings. As amazing as the Movie Sahara is, the book it’s based on threw it out of the water. Without a doubt, Sahara is one of the best books I have ever read.
One of the things that captured me in Sahara was all of the remarkable settings, one of which was the desert itself. The main characters Dirk Pitt and Al Giordino cross the Sahara many times, once my an old Avion Voison car, and again using an old truck, then again by walking towards the border out of Mali. And once more by UN tactical team war vehicles. Giordino and Pitt also find themselves along the Niger River earlier on in the book, surveying red tide components. Unfortunately they also find them selves in the murderous gold mines of Tabezza, and the secretive waste disposal plant run by Yvez Massarde.
Another thing about Sahara that intrigued me is its mixture of characters. Sahara has every type of character from cruel monsters of people, to beautiful humanitarians who only want to help others. And from incredibly smart individuals to people who seem to have no other use then incredible muscle and endurance. For example: Melika, a character who could be described as a slave overseer, as well as a murderer, is heartless and cruel. Where as Eva Rojas, a biochemist for the WHO, find joy in helping others and is selfless when it comes to her work. The diversity of characters in the book Sahara left me transfixed.
For anyone who likes action packed adventures this book is a must read! I enjoyed Sahara and recommend it to everyone. Clive Cussler’s amazing writing skills left me starving for more!
(568 pgs)
Clive Cussler’s novel Sahara astounded me with its intense plot, diverse characters, and intriguing settings. As amazing as the Movie Sahara is, the book it’s based on threw it out of the water. Without a doubt, Sahara is one of the best books I have ever read.
One of the things that captured me in Sahara was all of the remarkable settings, one of which was the desert itself. The main characters Dirk Pitt and Al Giordino cross the Sahara many times, once my an old Avion Voison car, and again using an old truck, then again by walking towards the border out of Mali. And once more by UN tactical team war vehicles. Giordino and Pitt also find themselves along the Niger River earlier on in the book, surveying red tide components. Unfortunately they also find them selves in the murderous gold mines of Tabezza, and the secretive waste disposal plant run by Yvez Massarde.
Another thing about Sahara that intrigued me is its mixture of characters. Sahara has every type of character from cruel monsters of people, to beautiful humanitarians who only want to help others. And from incredibly smart individuals to people who seem to have no other use then incredible muscle and endurance. For example: Melika, a character who could be described as a slave overseer, as well as a murderer, is heartless and cruel. Where as Eva Rojas, a biochemist for the WHO, find joy in helping others and is selfless when it comes to her work. The diversity of characters in the book Sahara left me transfixed.
For anyone who likes action packed adventures this book is a must read! I enjoyed Sahara and recommend it to everyone. Clive Cussler’s amazing writing skills left me starving for more!
(568 pgs)
August 1, 2018
I will be the first to admit that Sahara is not my type of book. I'm not the target audience for many reasons.
Basically, Dirk Pitt (a truly unfortunate name) is a Trademark Man. He swoops in, saves the damsel in distress, and saves the world. He always has the right thing to say and always gets out of impossible scrapes. It was too much for me.
My other big complaint was that the Texas and Kitty Mannock's crash didn't tie into the poisoned water story at all. And the conspiracy about the Texas's big secret didn't relate at all.
I'm glad we've realized how problematic stories like this are and are moving in a different direction. Oh, the 90s. You were interesting...
Basically, Dirk Pitt (a truly unfortunate name) is a Trademark Man. He swoops in, saves the damsel in distress, and saves the world. He always has the right thing to say and always gets out of impossible scrapes. It was too much for me.
My other big complaint was that the Texas and Kitty Mannock's crash didn't tie into the poisoned water story at all. And the conspiracy about the Texas's big secret didn't relate at all.
I'm glad we've realized how problematic stories like this are and are moving in a different direction. Oh, the 90s. You were interesting...
July 7, 2020
"Deep in the African desert, Dirk Pitt discovers that a top secret scientific installation is leaking a lethal chemical into the rivers, threatening to kill thousands of people – and to destroy all life in the world’s seas.
To warn the world of the catastrophe, Pitt must escape capture and death at the hands of a ruthless West African dictator and French industrialist, and undertake a long, perilous journey across the merciless Sahara…"
To warn the world of the catastrophe, Pitt must escape capture and death at the hands of a ruthless West African dictator and French industrialist, and undertake a long, perilous journey across the merciless Sahara…"
July 18, 2020
Dirk Pitt saves the world from a toxic red tide and an evil French businessman...he also learns a shocking secret about Abraham Lincoln and gets the girl.
September 8, 2018
2.75 stars
This is a macho action book that's over the top with some exciting stuff. The problem for me is that it was way too long and there isn't much character development. The two prologues (yes, there are two) had little to do with the rest of the story. Generally, it's just not my type of book, but they're are some exciting, though somewhat ridiculous, action scenes that bumped up my rating.
This is a macho action book that's over the top with some exciting stuff. The problem for me is that it was way too long and there isn't much character development. The two prologues (yes, there are two) had little to do with the rest of the story. Generally, it's just not my type of book, but they're are some exciting, though somewhat ridiculous, action scenes that bumped up my rating.
November 14, 2024
I wanted to read action adventure and the Internet told me Clive Cussler was the guy. So I pick up his most popular book from the library.
Is this the male equivalent of a romance novel? Dirk Pitt is a smooth talking, walking embodiment of perfection who knows everything about anything, has women saying they have a reason to live after knowing him for like 10 hours cumulative, and never runs out of one liners whilst doing at least five unbelievable things all in one novel.
But if you put aside the eye rolling groans at times, it sure was a hell of an entertainingly fun read. But god damnit if I didn't think I could do better…
Is this the male equivalent of a romance novel? Dirk Pitt is a smooth talking, walking embodiment of perfection who knows everything about anything, has women saying they have a reason to live after knowing him for like 10 hours cumulative, and never runs out of one liners whilst doing at least five unbelievable things all in one novel.
But if you put aside the eye rolling groans at times, it sure was a hell of an entertainingly fun read. But god damnit if I didn't think I could do better…
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