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Fargo Adventures #2
Lost Empire
Husband-and-wife treasure hunters Sam and Remi Fargo run afoul of a dangerous dictator in this adventure in the #1 New York Times-bestselling series.
While scuba diving in Tanzania, Sam and Remi Fargo come upon a relic belonging to a long-lost Confederate ship. An anomaly about the relic sets them off chasing a mystery—but unknown to them, a much more powerful force is engaged in the same chase. Mexico’s ruling party, the ultranationalist Mexica Tenochca, is intent on finding that artifact as well, because it contains a secret that could destroy the party utterly.
Through Tanzania and Zanzibar, into the rainforests of Madagascar, and across the Indian Ocean to Indonesia and the legendary site of the 1883 Krakatoa explosion, the Fargos and their ruthless opponents pursue the hunt—but only one can win. And the penalty for failure is death.
While scuba diving in Tanzania, Sam and Remi Fargo come upon a relic belonging to a long-lost Confederate ship. An anomaly about the relic sets them off chasing a mystery—but unknown to them, a much more powerful force is engaged in the same chase. Mexico’s ruling party, the ultranationalist Mexica Tenochca, is intent on finding that artifact as well, because it contains a secret that could destroy the party utterly.
Through Tanzania and Zanzibar, into the rainforests of Madagascar, and across the Indian Ocean to Indonesia and the legendary site of the 1883 Krakatoa explosion, the Fargos and their ruthless opponents pursue the hunt—but only one can win. And the penalty for failure is death.
530 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 31, 2010
706 people are currently reading
3689 people want to read
About the author
Clive Cussler
644 books8,519 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 604 reviews
March 19, 2019
It was the discovery of an 80lb ship’s bell off the coast of Tanzania that started Sam and Remi Fargo’s next adventure. From Tanzania to Zanzibar, Madagascar and Indonesia, their journey was spell binding but fraught with danger. Dogged by mercenaries who were also determined to keep the secrets Sam and Remi were set to unfold, keeping one step ahead of them was a challenge they could have done without.
Lost Empire by Clive Cussler is the 2nd in the Sam & Remi Fargo Adventures series and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a fun and entertaining read with plenty of action and fast paced adventure! As I've owned it since 2010, I'm happy to be able to remove it from my TBR :) Highly recommended.
Lost Empire by Clive Cussler is the 2nd in the Sam & Remi Fargo Adventures series and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a fun and entertaining read with plenty of action and fast paced adventure! As I've owned it since 2010, I'm happy to be able to remove it from my TBR :) Highly recommended.
August 21, 2023
A poor example of Cussler’s capabilities
Clive Cussler’s LOST EMPIRE is a sadly derivative and poorly executed example of the genre of globe-trotting, death-defying, puzzle solving, history revising, super sleuth “thrillers spawned by Dan Brown’s wildly popular modern day publishing phenomenon THE DA VINCI CODE. In this case, the revisionist history is a posited semi-circumnavigation of the globe by the founders of the Aztec nation from Indonesia to Madagascar, across Africa, and onto Mexico. Whether there is any reality or basis for such an off-the-wall conjecture is irrelevant. The resulting story was, not to put too fine a point on it, overwrought, uninteresting and entirely lacking in credibility.
Definitely not recommended.
Paul Weiss
Clive Cussler’s LOST EMPIRE is a sadly derivative and poorly executed example of the genre of globe-trotting, death-defying, puzzle solving, history revising, super sleuth “thrillers spawned by Dan Brown’s wildly popular modern day publishing phenomenon THE DA VINCI CODE. In this case, the revisionist history is a posited semi-circumnavigation of the globe by the founders of the Aztec nation from Indonesia to Madagascar, across Africa, and onto Mexico. Whether there is any reality or basis for such an off-the-wall conjecture is irrelevant. The resulting story was, not to put too fine a point on it, overwrought, uninteresting and entirely lacking in credibility.
Definitely not recommended.
Paul Weiss
November 26, 2023
Synopsis: Adventurers Sam and Remi Fargo stumble across an old bell while vacationing in Zanzibar. They soon discover that it was part of the Civil War battleship Shenandoah, which had been sold to Zanzibar's sultan and then disappeared. Unfortunately, someone else wants that bell bad enough to kill the Fargos for it, and Sam and Remi's journey to find its secrets and save it will take them all over the planet.
Review: What a surprise! I had never read a Clive Cussler novel before, but this one was so much fun, I blew through all 498 pages in about an hour or so! Plenty of action and intensity, along with only a small amount of objectionable content, made Lost Empire a great read. I only wish I had read the first Fargo Adventure previously, but, oh, well.
Content Concerns: Small dashes of profanity, along with some intense action/violence, though it never goes beyond "PG" territory.
Score: 4.25/5
Review: What a surprise! I had never read a Clive Cussler novel before, but this one was so much fun, I blew through all 498 pages in about an hour or so! Plenty of action and intensity, along with only a small amount of objectionable content, made Lost Empire a great read. I only wish I had read the first Fargo Adventure previously, but, oh, well.
Content Concerns: Small dashes of profanity, along with some intense action/violence, though it never goes beyond "PG" territory.
Score: 4.25/5
February 13, 2016
Why do I keep coming back to the Fargo adventures? Because this needs to happen in my life.
TOMB RAIDER X UNCHARTED FOREVER!!!
Until my fangirl dreams are fulfilled I am going to be content with the second best thing - Clive Cussler's husband/wife treasure-hunting duo on a track to a new adventure. This time Sam and Remi are pursuing the lost ship that might change recorded history of early Latin America. There is zero character development, convenient conflict resolutions, and non-stop action - everything you need to dull your video gaming itch. Enjoyable fluff.
TOMB RAIDER X UNCHARTED FOREVER!!!
Until my fangirl dreams are fulfilled I am going to be content with the second best thing - Clive Cussler's husband/wife treasure-hunting duo on a track to a new adventure. This time Sam and Remi are pursuing the lost ship that might change recorded history of early Latin America. There is zero character development, convenient conflict resolutions, and non-stop action - everything you need to dull your video gaming itch. Enjoyable fluff.
November 13, 2020
This book game me my recent fix for history and adventure. I took one star off because it also gave me jet lag....ha ha ha!
March 10, 2024
Connections between the Civil War and the Aztecs is an intriguing idea but by and large it is a fairly standard by-the-numbers historical fiction. It has Cussler’s name on but not much else to put it above similar books is the genre.
April 6, 2020
Back in the day I vaguely remember reading Raise The 'Titanic'! –yet I recall hardly any details of it or the hero Dirk Pitt. Fast forward to today and I have now finished “Lost Empire” by the same author, which left me bemused to say the least. The heroes are husband and wife team Sam and Remi Fargo, treasure hunters/adventurers of seemingly unlimited wealth and resources, who discover an old ship's bell while diving off Zanzibar and meet a team of latter day Aztecs who kill off tourists who get in their way. (Cue the downing of a helicopter.)
The bell is that of confederate warship the ‘Shenandoah” (US civil war ran from April 1861 to May 1865), deployed to destroy merchant vessels supplying the north until bought by the Sultan of Zanzibar, damaged in a hurricane and disappeared after repairs in Bombay, somehow acquired by an eccentric American, whose journals are kept by a descendent, Morton (named after Stanley who went in search of David Livingstone).
It gets vaguer still with Mesoamerican history and a Jesuit priest who arrived in Mexico with Cortés, who witnessed the destruction of the Aztec empire, but not before he writes a codex of the pictographs of the Aztec language, Nahuatl, in which the bell is engraved and coded in a Fibonacci (mathematical) sequence/spiral.
Though this started well, and managed to hold my interest, it increasingly tested my patience. A so-called map in which the Atlantic is labelled the “Pacific Ocean”, and how the pair flew from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and arrived at San Diego, exhausted, 18 hours later (the flight from Sydney to Jo’burg takes 14 hours).
In between the pair bounces to Washington DC then Savannah, GA then to Madagascar (cue rebels and police in the pay of those Aztecs), jumping a paddle steamer, back to the US and then straight to Sumatra and the inevitable final confrontation and discovery (cue the Krakatoa explosion). That bit did it for me.
Overworked, over-stretched, clichéd, with characters straight out of a Disney movie. If escapism is your thing, go for it, but I have no urge to read on.
The bell is that of confederate warship the ‘Shenandoah” (US civil war ran from April 1861 to May 1865), deployed to destroy merchant vessels supplying the north until bought by the Sultan of Zanzibar, damaged in a hurricane and disappeared after repairs in Bombay, somehow acquired by an eccentric American, whose journals are kept by a descendent, Morton (named after Stanley who went in search of David Livingstone).
It gets vaguer still with Mesoamerican history and a Jesuit priest who arrived in Mexico with Cortés, who witnessed the destruction of the Aztec empire, but not before he writes a codex of the pictographs of the Aztec language, Nahuatl, in which the bell is engraved and coded in a Fibonacci (mathematical) sequence/spiral.
Though this started well, and managed to hold my interest, it increasingly tested my patience. A so-called map in which the Atlantic is labelled the “Pacific Ocean”, and how the pair flew from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and arrived at San Diego, exhausted, 18 hours later (the flight from Sydney to Jo’burg takes 14 hours).
In between the pair bounces to Washington DC then Savannah, GA then to Madagascar (cue rebels and police in the pay of those Aztecs), jumping a paddle steamer, back to the US and then straight to Sumatra and the inevitable final confrontation and discovery (cue the Krakatoa explosion). That bit did it for me.
Overworked, over-stretched, clichéd, with characters straight out of a Disney movie. If escapism is your thing, go for it, but I have no urge to read on.
October 10, 2013
Read this one for love . . . My husband thought I'd enjoy the storyline and setting. And, I did -- the "historical" mystery was fun. But the writing!
The portrayals of the characters were cartoonish and ugly. The Fargos are completely unbelievable as a wealthy couple in their mid-30s. Their depth of skill and experience definitely makes them older, and Cussler never establishes any plausible motivation for them getting involved in so much violence in pursuit of the bell. The African and Mexican characters are cardboard and just racist, really: I-am-third-world-therefore-I-am-megalomaniacal-and-corrupt.
The whole book left me feeling both bored and covered in a thin coating of ick. Also, is Cussler underwritten by Apple computers? So much product placement!
Cussler's books fly off the shelves in the library -- But I am delighted to be finished and can't see myself reading another one.
The portrayals of the characters were cartoonish and ugly. The Fargos are completely unbelievable as a wealthy couple in their mid-30s. Their depth of skill and experience definitely makes them older, and Cussler never establishes any plausible motivation for them getting involved in so much violence in pursuit of the bell. The African and Mexican characters are cardboard and just racist, really: I-am-third-world-therefore-I-am-megalomaniacal-and-corrupt.
The whole book left me feeling both bored and covered in a thin coating of ick. Also, is Cussler underwritten by Apple computers? So much product placement!
Cussler's books fly off the shelves in the library -- But I am delighted to be finished and can't see myself reading another one.
August 9, 2011
There are quite a few issues I see with this novel, but overall, The Lost Empire is a serious improvement compared with Spartan Gold, the first book in this series. I'm torn apart between giving it credit for the changes in good or penalizing it for the remaining issues.
The good:
1) The kind of details that abounded in Spartan Gold (see my review) are gone and most of the remaining details are relevant or at least interesting. Since this was the most irritating issue that I found with the previous book, I believe the largest part of the improvement comes from here.
2) Although Sam and Remi still have a nonchalant attitude about the whole adventure, there are no more near-death experiences followed immediately by spa treatments or other completely unrealistic form of relaxation. In fact the ending has quite a bit of suspense which is completely missing in Spartan Gold.
3) Maybe I should have listed this comment first: this novel made me dream (even more), if not about treasure-hunting, at least about exploring the world.
The bad:
1) The characters are most definitely bi-dimensional: the good are wonderful (skilled in tens of domains, warmhearted, charitable, learnt), and the bad are terrible (cold-blooded, ugly, and quite stupid too). There is absolutely nobody in between, no angst, not fight between some good and bad options. The character descriptions are very impersonal, very... engineering-like, as if turning a person into an equation. Nonetheless, I see some improvement here too compared to the first book and Mr. Cussler is getting closer in succeeding to pen a character using dialog and action only.
2) Sam and Remi still have that careless attitude, as if their life is a continuous vacation and they are not running a step ahead of professional killers. These books have all the elements of a thriller, yet, I would never call them thrillers.
The others (there are my comments about facts which might or might not be an issue depending on the reader):
1) Pretty much every person in the third world is willing to help them, some complete strangers, for free and at the risk of being killed by the bad guys. As far as I'm concerned this is not that bad. True, it's highly unrealistic, but in the end, I read and see all around me enough ugliness to enjoy reading about decent people who'd help a stranger.
2) There are A LOT of coincidences, even if right at the beginning the author suggests (using dialog) that he doesn't believe in coincidences.
To end, I have to give this book credit for what it is: an enjoyable adventure novel that made me muse where should I spend my next vacation.
The good:
1) The kind of details that abounded in Spartan Gold (see my review) are gone and most of the remaining details are relevant or at least interesting. Since this was the most irritating issue that I found with the previous book, I believe the largest part of the improvement comes from here.
2) Although Sam and Remi still have a nonchalant attitude about the whole adventure, there are no more near-death experiences followed immediately by spa treatments or other completely unrealistic form of relaxation. In fact the ending has quite a bit of suspense which is completely missing in Spartan Gold.
3) Maybe I should have listed this comment first: this novel made me dream (even more), if not about treasure-hunting, at least about exploring the world.
The bad:
1) The characters are most definitely bi-dimensional: the good are wonderful (skilled in tens of domains, warmhearted, charitable, learnt), and the bad are terrible (cold-blooded, ugly, and quite stupid too). There is absolutely nobody in between, no angst, not fight between some good and bad options. The character descriptions are very impersonal, very... engineering-like, as if turning a person into an equation. Nonetheless, I see some improvement here too compared to the first book and Mr. Cussler is getting closer in succeeding to pen a character using dialog and action only.
2) Sam and Remi still have that careless attitude, as if their life is a continuous vacation and they are not running a step ahead of professional killers. These books have all the elements of a thriller, yet, I would never call them thrillers.
The others (there are my comments about facts which might or might not be an issue depending on the reader):
1) Pretty much every person in the third world is willing to help them, some complete strangers, for free and at the risk of being killed by the bad guys. As far as I'm concerned this is not that bad. True, it's highly unrealistic, but in the end, I read and see all around me enough ugliness to enjoy reading about decent people who'd help a stranger.
2) There are A LOT of coincidences, even if right at the beginning the author suggests (using dialog) that he doesn't believe in coincidences.
To end, I have to give this book credit for what it is: an enjoyable adventure novel that made me muse where should I spend my next vacation.
May 15, 2020
Hani bazen, örneğin bir Pazar günü yapacak birşeyiniz yoktur da televizyonu açtığınızda ilginizi çeken bir filmle karşılaşırsınız, dur biraz bakayım derken ilginizi çeker, gününüzü geçirtir ama televizyonu kapattığınızda hiçbirşey ifade etmez ya. Kayıp İmparatorluk tam o ayar bir kitap. Lara Croft ve Nathan Drake evlenmiş de maceradan maceraya koşuyor.
Kitapla ilgili en hoşuma giden kısım başlarının 2017 yılında benim de ziyaret ettiğim Zanzibar adasında geçmesiydi. Sam ve Remi'nin dolaştığı Stone Town sokaklarında, Kendwa plajlarında, Prison Island'da dolaştım. Bolca sözü edilen Baobab ağaçlarını kendi gözlerimle gördüm. Ve pek tabi her gördüğüme "Jambo, habari gani?" diyerek Svahili'den payımı aldım.
Kapak resmi de sanırım bugüne kadar gördüğüm en kötü kolajlardan. Ne yaptınız, Powerpoint'te mi çizdiniz?
Sanırım Kayıp İmparatorluk da koca ülkede sadece benim okuyacağım bir diğer kitap oldu.
Herkese keyifli okumalar!
Kitapla ilgili en hoşuma giden kısım başlarının 2017 yılında benim de ziyaret ettiğim Zanzibar adasında geçmesiydi. Sam ve Remi'nin dolaştığı Stone Town sokaklarında, Kendwa plajlarında, Prison Island'da dolaştım. Bolca sözü edilen Baobab ağaçlarını kendi gözlerimle gördüm. Ve pek tabi her gördüğüme "Jambo, habari gani?" diyerek Svahili'den payımı aldım.
Kapak resmi de sanırım bugüne kadar gördüğüm en kötü kolajlardan. Ne yaptınız, Powerpoint'te mi çizdiniz?
Sanırım Kayıp İmparatorluk da koca ülkede sadece benim okuyacağım bir diğer kitap oldu.
Herkese keyifli okumalar!
February 1, 2025
To escape some women read Amish stories, some read love stories, or fantasy. Me, I read wild conspiracy/history/adventure stories jam-packed with gun fights, knife fights, crashes, and disasters of all kinds, bonus if it even vaguely involves archeology. And this book has all those elements. It was really quite fun. Sam and Remy are a delightful couple, even in the most dire adventures, there is always time for a kiss or so. There is something so fun about a married couple traveling the world giving bad guys headaches while overturning all their plans.
The only reason I can think of for not reading this adventure is having not read the first book in the series. It does have spoilers for that book. There were a couple of ‘mild’ curse words.
The only reason I can think of for not reading this adventure is having not read the first book in the series. It does have spoilers for that book. There were a couple of ‘mild’ curse words.
October 2, 2013
I listened to this an audio book, it isn't the kind of book I'd read, I don't think, it's more like a movie I might watch if I want to turn my brain off. This book actually is pretty much an equivalent of an average hollywood action adventure flick. It's number 2 in a series, but it works as a stand alone. Sam and Remi Fargo are cardboard cutout action stars, gorgeous, supersmart, crafty, uber rich globetrotting adventurers/treasure hunters. The stumble upon a discovery that may rewrite the entire history of aztecs. Action a plenty, this book lacks that certain something that makes reading a unique experience, an opportunity to get inside someone's mind. There are not hidden thoughts here, it's all spelled out for the readers, all desires and motivations too, and who cares about thoughts anyway when there is so much action. The thing of it is that the book sort of works if you know what to expect and the historical aspects are very interesting as well as the best part of it. Scott Brick as always does a good job reading, he's really good at these sort of action stories. Bland, but entertaining enough for an audio book to walk or bike to.
September 24, 2010
I guess i am slowly losing it for Cussler's books. So many different verisons of Cussler and it seems to have watered down the brand, at least for me. I liked the book but it was just ok. Too many times i found myself skimming as the words just didnt seem as if i needed to read them. And the truth is, i didn't. Same formula as most of his books and if i hadnt read about 30 or more of them over the past 35 years, i might have liked this one.
The other side of the coin is that i have found many more talented writers and more interesting books lately and this seems to pale. So, this could be the last Cussler i read but i will say this about Clive Cussler... He entertained me very well for a long time.
All things must pass and on we gol
The other side of the coin is that i have found many more talented writers and more interesting books lately and this seems to pale. So, this could be the last Cussler i read but i will say this about Clive Cussler... He entertained me very well for a long time.
All things must pass and on we gol
July 29, 2018
I always enjoy popping in and seeing what trouble Sam and Remi get themselves into and then miraculously back out of again. Loads of fun to read.
April 20, 2023
Good characters snd story, fun adventure
February 21, 2021
I to się nazywa przygoda! Obok "Dżungli" z serii Oregon moja ulubiona książka Cusslera jak na razie. A jeszcze kilka przygód z Państwem Fargo przede mną... ;)
August 25, 2011
Following their introduction in the novel Spartan Gold, this is the second Clive Cussler book featuring husband and wife treasure-hunting team Sam and Remi Fargo.
In this adventure Sam and Remi stumble upon an ancient relic from a long-lost Confederate ship whilst scuba diving in Tanzania. This is the catalyst for a secret that could even bring down Mexico's ruling party. A secret that is worth killing for.
The Fargos are pursued ruthlessly through Tanzania, Zanzibar, the rainforests of Madagascar, and Indonesia to the site of the 1883 Krakatoa explosion. The stakes are high. Find the secret, solve the mystery or die!
I really am enjoying this new series of adventure novels from Cussler. In fact the only reason I rate this book 4 stars and not 5 is that I find the Fargos a trifle annoying with their flippancy at times. Despite the danger they are in, they tend to treat life like one long vacation. Frightening near-death experiences are followed by a massage or a dinner for two and a glass of wine. Maybe the larger than life personas could be just toned down a tad!
Overall, a most enjoyable and absorbing novel of adventure escapism that is sure to please Cussler fans and lovers of clean-cut adventure fiction everywhere.
In this adventure Sam and Remi stumble upon an ancient relic from a long-lost Confederate ship whilst scuba diving in Tanzania. This is the catalyst for a secret that could even bring down Mexico's ruling party. A secret that is worth killing for.
The Fargos are pursued ruthlessly through Tanzania, Zanzibar, the rainforests of Madagascar, and Indonesia to the site of the 1883 Krakatoa explosion. The stakes are high. Find the secret, solve the mystery or die!
I really am enjoying this new series of adventure novels from Cussler. In fact the only reason I rate this book 4 stars and not 5 is that I find the Fargos a trifle annoying with their flippancy at times. Despite the danger they are in, they tend to treat life like one long vacation. Frightening near-death experiences are followed by a massage or a dinner for two and a glass of wine. Maybe the larger than life personas could be just toned down a tad!
Overall, a most enjoyable and absorbing novel of adventure escapism that is sure to please Cussler fans and lovers of clean-cut adventure fiction everywhere.
June 20, 2012
Poorly edited (i.e. discussing the Fibonacci sequence seen in the journal BEFORE actually finding it in the journal), with idiotic plotting (o.k., we know the bad guys are going to follow us, should we hire some muscle or maybe bring a gun or two? Nah, let's just go by ourselves), and know-it-all heroes (Hey, I just remembered, I took a single class about Aztec culture way back in college! Now we can read Aztec glyphs and discuss esoteric details of Aztec history like we're experts!)
Cussler's original books were great. These licensed properties (much like Clancy's) are disappointing by comparison.
Cussler's original books were great. These licensed properties (much like Clancy's) are disappointing by comparison.
January 21, 2014
Sam and Remi Fargo are vacationing off the eastern coast of Africa when they discover something that may prove that the Aztecs originated over in that direction. A Mexican Aztec-centered political party wants this evidence first, and so they send a hitman after the Fargos.
This is very much an action book. There are long fight sequences, and I was unsure exactly what the Fargos wanted to do (document a nineteenth-century adventurer's life? find the bell? find the ship? send Aztec historical research in a new direction?) for much of the book. It was okay, and provided a lot of interesting information, but I probably wouldn't read it again.
This is very much an action book. There are long fight sequences, and I was unsure exactly what the Fargos wanted to do (document a nineteenth-century adventurer's life? find the bell? find the ship? send Aztec historical research in a new direction?) for much of the book. It was okay, and provided a lot of interesting information, but I probably wouldn't read it again.
June 19, 2012
The second installment of the treasure-hunting husband-and-wife team of Sam and Remi Fargo. The typical adventures and historical tidbits of a Cussler novel. Though once or twice I was looking over the main characters' shoulders. The story involves the possible origin of the A_____s. It includes locations such as I____a, M______r and Z____r. Oh, my. And the gigantic 1883 explosion that had global repercussions for several years afterward. A quick and light read to refresh your mind before you delve into your next heavy read.
September 13, 2011
I enjoyed this read - like the lack of gore and foul language, but I did get a little lost and still have no idea what the heck the deal was with the Aztecs and the Mexican president and why he had his knickers in a bunch to keep some information a secret - which it still is to me, as I have no idea what the secret was about the Aztecs that was such a big deal. I may have skimmed over that part. Overall, fun adventure.
November 2, 2016
In this second book, bantering archaeologists Sam and Remi Fargo discover a Confederate submarine in the African desert. Of course, it is a clue to a big treasure. The duo have to compete with a corrupt Mexican politician to find it.
Not bad, if a bit light.
Not bad, if a bit light.
February 9, 2011
Dazzling suspense and breathtaking action typical of Clive Cussler.
February 5, 2013
One of Cussler’s best stories in years! An exciting adventure through history to the present with a plausible well crafted plot. 9 of 10 stars
November 13, 2017
A little too light with unbelievable escapes. I've never killed a snake unless my survival was at stake, even cobras. Yet the Fargo's seem to enjoy handling them.
January 8, 2025
Clive Cussler passed away in 2020 at the age of 88 and authored over 80 books. There were a bunch of these Fargo Adventures in a series and they now have a ghost writer. If you liked the DaVinci Code’ you’d probably like this book. Lots of figuring out of puzzles enmeshed in history. I get the sense that is what the whole series is like. I’d definitely try a couple more of these. The historical mysteries seem v well researched but the characters lack depth. In summary, good story, bland characters.
July 21, 2019
This was my introduction to Clive Cussler and the Fargos and I wasn't disappointed!
The story takes the pair of treasure hunters halfway across the world, investigating one of the biggest secrets of the Aztec empire after they discover a ship's bell on the eastern coast of Africa while on vacation. There's action, a super-bad villain, mystery peppered with historical investigation and a pair of protagonists whom you would want to root for - a great recipe for a action packed adventure/thriller.
My love for adventure based stories sadly hadn't extended beyond the visual media until now. This was my first foray into this domain (on the print medium) and to start with Cussler and an ongoing series (second in the series order) was a bit intimidating. However, this a standalone novel and doesn't let the reader feel the need to read the previous one at all.
Cussler and Blackwood use a lot of technical boating terms that I had a hard time understanding. Once I got over that with a little assist from Google, I began to really enjoy the book and follow Sam & Remi on their quest.
I had to settle with only 4 stars because the conflicts were resolved with ease and very little tension. I understand that this is a Indiana Jones-esque story and is meant to be read with a bit of disbelief. However, the ease with which the Fargos overcame their obstacles and the numerous people they had to help them out diminished the urgency and tension of the situation. Also, it wasn't evenly paced. The start is a bit slow and then we are racing towards the end. It felt as if the author(s) couldn't wait to finish the book. The climax could have been stretched out for another 20-30 pages.
Thirdly, I would have liked to know more about the lead pair more, rather than them just being swashbuckling know-it-alls. The book could have done with more character depth - both the protagonists and the negative leads.
I had this book on my shelf for over a year but I picked it out for reading just a couple of days ago out of sheer boredom. Lets say, once I began reading, I never got bored and just gobbled it up - it was a page turner! My major criticism is that the synopsis gives away a lot of spoilers and the title is quite misleading. Read it and you'll understand why.
Short take - I recommend going on this journey with a pair of dare devils and an evil menacing villain! Along the way, you'll learn a lot, I guarantee you that. I surely did. I can't wait to complete the rest from the series.
The story takes the pair of treasure hunters halfway across the world, investigating one of the biggest secrets of the Aztec empire after they discover a ship's bell on the eastern coast of Africa while on vacation. There's action, a super-bad villain, mystery peppered with historical investigation and a pair of protagonists whom you would want to root for - a great recipe for a action packed adventure/thriller.
My love for adventure based stories sadly hadn't extended beyond the visual media until now. This was my first foray into this domain (on the print medium) and to start with Cussler and an ongoing series (second in the series order) was a bit intimidating. However, this a standalone novel and doesn't let the reader feel the need to read the previous one at all.
Cussler and Blackwood use a lot of technical boating terms that I had a hard time understanding. Once I got over that with a little assist from Google, I began to really enjoy the book and follow Sam & Remi on their quest.
I had to settle with only 4 stars because the conflicts were resolved with ease and very little tension. I understand that this is a Indiana Jones-esque story and is meant to be read with a bit of disbelief. However, the ease with which the Fargos overcame their obstacles and the numerous people they had to help them out diminished the urgency and tension of the situation. Also, it wasn't evenly paced. The start is a bit slow and then we are racing towards the end. It felt as if the author(s) couldn't wait to finish the book. The climax could have been stretched out for another 20-30 pages.
Thirdly, I would have liked to know more about the lead pair more, rather than them just being swashbuckling know-it-alls. The book could have done with more character depth - both the protagonists and the negative leads.
I had this book on my shelf for over a year but I picked it out for reading just a couple of days ago out of sheer boredom. Lets say, once I began reading, I never got bored and just gobbled it up - it was a page turner! My major criticism is that the synopsis gives away a lot of spoilers and the title is quite misleading. Read it and you'll understand why.
Short take - I recommend going on this journey with a pair of dare devils and an evil menacing villain! Along the way, you'll learn a lot, I guarantee you that. I surely did. I can't wait to complete the rest from the series.
August 22, 2020
Lost Empire
Fargo Adventures #2
By Clive Cussler
with Grant Blackwood
Here is the second book in the Remi and Sam Fargo Series and the second time I have read it. I love the adventures and the Fargo's and the historical stories that are used to weave the fiction part of the story, and I do check the facts as I read. I love this part of the books as I have learned so much.
Sam and Remi are so very well off they can follow their interests, looking and finding items of historical value. Sometimes they do not have to be monetarily value. But you can almost guarantee there is someone who wants to take the lime light or the money ore even to stop them finding anything.
This is the case in this book Sam and Remi are having a snorkelling holiday and they come across a coin, this could mean there is something else to find and they keep looking and find a ships bell. Unfortunately there is someone who does not want these finds to come to light.
They are followed and questioned by authorities but find that the authorities are being aimed at them by someone else.
Selma Is the lady that does the Fargo's research, I have to say this is the lady who's job I would like, I have always loved finding things out, and looking for an answer to all the questions posed.
She unlocks all the queries historical, makes all travel plans and keeps the home and buisness of the Fargo's running.
The Fargo's follow the clues from the bell and the coin and find a museum dedicated to the owner or finder of the bell. May clues are solved and followed using the resources available to them they end up on Krakatoa, following a ravine they find a lost ship, again they are followed.
Fast moving - facts and fiction mixed together keep the reader wanting to find out what is going to have next.
this is my second reading and I am sure I will read again - sometimes when you have a fast moving story you see things you may have missed the first time you read it.
Fargo Adventures #2
By Clive Cussler
with Grant Blackwood
Here is the second book in the Remi and Sam Fargo Series and the second time I have read it. I love the adventures and the Fargo's and the historical stories that are used to weave the fiction part of the story, and I do check the facts as I read. I love this part of the books as I have learned so much.
Sam and Remi are so very well off they can follow their interests, looking and finding items of historical value. Sometimes they do not have to be monetarily value. But you can almost guarantee there is someone who wants to take the lime light or the money ore even to stop them finding anything.
This is the case in this book Sam and Remi are having a snorkelling holiday and they come across a coin, this could mean there is something else to find and they keep looking and find a ships bell. Unfortunately there is someone who does not want these finds to come to light.
They are followed and questioned by authorities but find that the authorities are being aimed at them by someone else.
Selma Is the lady that does the Fargo's research, I have to say this is the lady who's job I would like, I have always loved finding things out, and looking for an answer to all the questions posed.
She unlocks all the queries historical, makes all travel plans and keeps the home and buisness of the Fargo's running.
The Fargo's follow the clues from the bell and the coin and find a museum dedicated to the owner or finder of the bell. May clues are solved and followed using the resources available to them they end up on Krakatoa, following a ravine they find a lost ship, again they are followed.
Fast moving - facts and fiction mixed together keep the reader wanting to find out what is going to have next.
this is my second reading and I am sure I will read again - sometimes when you have a fast moving story you see things you may have missed the first time you read it.
July 19, 2017
I enjoyed Cussler's/Blackwood's style--sophisticated, dry wit, with a certain elegance and rhythm to the prose.
The plot, while interesting, left me with many questions about how much of the Aztec story was true and what was a fabrication. I thought the details around all the research and historical data bogged the pace down in several places. Overall, if someone is interested in ancient Aztec history and/or migrations of indigenous peoples from one part of the world to another far away, this makes for an interesting read.
One minor obvious miss on the plot's logic jumped out at me. The Fargos are independently wealthy. Why the hell can't they afford to hire a small army to protect them in the wild when they are on their dangerous treasure hunts so they won't get ambushed, or captured, or nearly killed?? I know, I know--because there would be no drama, suspense, or thriller aspect to the story. :-) Just an observation from a suspense writer who works hard to be as realistic as possible with his plots and tries to anticipate challenges like those as he writes his stories. ;-)
I imagine Cussler/Blackwood fans will enjoy this. Newcomers to Cussler will find this a worthy introduction. Probably makes sense to read the first book in the Fargo series first.
The plot, while interesting, left me with many questions about how much of the Aztec story was true and what was a fabrication. I thought the details around all the research and historical data bogged the pace down in several places. Overall, if someone is interested in ancient Aztec history and/or migrations of indigenous peoples from one part of the world to another far away, this makes for an interesting read.
One minor obvious miss on the plot's logic jumped out at me. The Fargos are independently wealthy. Why the hell can't they afford to hire a small army to protect them in the wild when they are on their dangerous treasure hunts so they won't get ambushed, or captured, or nearly killed?? I know, I know--because there would be no drama, suspense, or thriller aspect to the story. :-) Just an observation from a suspense writer who works hard to be as realistic as possible with his plots and tries to anticipate challenges like those as he writes his stories. ;-)
I imagine Cussler/Blackwood fans will enjoy this. Newcomers to Cussler will find this a worthy introduction. Probably makes sense to read the first book in the Fargo series first.
October 22, 2018
Description: Sam and Remi Fargo, heroes of Spartan Gold, return in this extraordinary new adventure from the number-one New York Times- bestselling author.
With Spartan Gold, a daring thriller that Publishers Weekly proclaimed "solidly in the Cussler tradition, [and] sure to please new fans and old," Clive Cussler introduced husband-and-wife treasure-hunting team Sam and Remi Fargo. In their electrifying new adventure, the Fargos make a startling discovery that others would kill to keep hidden...
While scuba diving in Tanzania, Sam and Remi Fargo come upon a relic belonging to a long-lost Confederate ship. An anomaly about the relic sets them off chasing a mystery-but unknown to them, a much more powerful force is engaged in the same chase. Mexico's ruling party, the ultranationalist Mexica Tenochca, is intent on finding that artifact as well, because it contains a secret that could destroy the party utterly.
Through Tanzania and Zanzibar, into the rainforests of Madagascar, and across the Indian Ocean to Indonesia and the legendary site of the 1883 Krakatoa explosion, the Fargos and their ruthless opponents pursue the hunt-but only one can win. And the penalty for failure is death.
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