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Dirk Pitt® #19
Treasure of Khan
Black Wind continued Dirk Pitt's meteoric career with one of Clive Cussler's most audacious, and well-received novels yet. But now Cussler takes an extraordinary leap, with one of his most remarkable villains ever.
Genghis Khan-the greatest conqueror of all time, who, at his peak, ruled an empire that stretched from the Pacific Ocean to the Caspian Sea. His conquests are the stuff of legend, his tomb a forgotten mystery. Until now
Genghis Khan-the greatest conqueror of all time, who, at his peak, ruled an empire that stretched from the Pacific Ocean to the Caspian Sea. His conquests are the stuff of legend, his tomb a forgotten mystery. Until now
552 pages, Hardcover
First published November 28, 2006
About the author
Clive Cussler
522 books8,237 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 525 reviews
August 30, 2019
4,50 sterren - Nederlandse paperback - gevonden in minibieb Venlo. 🦋🦋🦋Het blijft een feest deze boeken te lezen. Moeiteloos verweeft de schrijver verschillende eeuwen met elkaar tot een weloverwogen, spannend, en uitgezocht verhaal. Het had allemaal zo maar kunnen gebeuren. Dat maakt voor mij, samen met de vloeiend gebruik van taal, dit boek tot een van de graag te lezen boeken op een vrije, luie, zomerse middag. 🌹🌹🌹
July 30, 2021
4 Stars for Treasure of Khan: Dirk Pitt #19 by Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler read by Scott Brick.
Another great Dirk Pitt adventure.
Another great Dirk Pitt adventure.
June 4, 2020
Tutti i libri belli si assomigliano fra loro (circa), ogni libro orrendo è orrendo a suo modo.
Questo per esempio riesce a essere orrendo in un modo cosmico e ancestrale.
Tra spiegoni quanto mai imbarazzanti (tipo uno sulla seconda guerra mondiale piazzato in un capitolo ambientato PRIMA che questa accadesse), personaggi che compaiono a caso nei momenti meno indicati a favorire il climax, la trama che non esiste e lo sviluppo di un intreccio idiota e assolutamente improbabile, credo davvero che sti due abbiano toccato il fondo. E non finisce qui, perché ci aggiunge del "bello" anche la traduttrice. L'unico sollievo è sapere che adesso sono finalmente al sicuro.
Ps: questo è uno di quei casi in cui, se potessi, darei mezza stella.
Questo per esempio riesce a essere orrendo in un modo cosmico e ancestrale.
Tra spiegoni quanto mai imbarazzanti (tipo uno sulla seconda guerra mondiale piazzato in un capitolo ambientato PRIMA che questa accadesse), personaggi che compaiono a caso nei momenti meno indicati a favorire il climax, la trama che non esiste e lo sviluppo di un intreccio idiota e assolutamente improbabile, credo davvero che sti due abbiano toccato il fondo. E non finisce qui, perché ci aggiunge del "bello" anche la traduttrice. L'unico sollievo è sapere che adesso sono finalmente al sicuro.
Ps: questo è uno di quei casi in cui, se potessi, darei mezza stella.
December 2, 2014
I have never read a Clive Cussler novel until "Treasure of Khan", which is, I think, the 20th novel in his long-running Dirk Pitt series. My Cussler deprivation is not due to any calculated or irrational dismissal of the author; I just never got around to reading him. Starting with the 20th book in the series is probably not wise, as Cussler has reached that "I can basically write a 200-page shopping list and any publishing company will publish it" status, which is never a good thing. For proof, see anything by James Patterson.
Cussler also has a co-writer for this one (his son, Dirk Cussler), which, in my opinion, is ALWAYS a red flag. When well-known authors start writing "with" other people, it usually means they have become so lazy that they can't come up with any new ideas of their own, or they wrote a quick outline for a novel and had someone else actually write it. Again, see James Patterson.
So, truth be told, I was a bit leary about this one, and I didn't have high expectations. Consider my surprise and delight that I actually enjoyed the book.
I'm not going to lie: it starts slow. The real action didn't kick in until around page 150 (out of 600), the first 150 pages devoted mostly to scene-setting and necessary (but excruciatingly dry and, at times, textbook-like) backstory. I'm guessing Cussler books all follow a similar formula: at some point in history, a ship carrying treasure or objects of vital importance is lost; fast-forward hundreds of years to modern times when a clue is uncovered that reveals the possible whereabouts of said lost ship; adventurer and treasure-hunter Dirk Pitt and his crew go off to find it, only to encounter numerous obstacles and nefarious villains trying to prevent him from finding it.
I'm guessing each Cussler book is a "fill in the blank" in terms of historical period, lost treasure, modern-day clue, and nefarious villain. In this case, the book starts with a dying Genghis Khan in the 13th-century. The treasure is the long-lost burial place of Khan. The modern-day clue is a scroll found on the body of a dead archaeologist. The villain is a mysterious multi-billionaire who has access to untapped oil riches in Lower Mongolia and a giant gun that can create earthquakes.
Yes, it's pretty silly. It's part Indiana Jones and part James Bond, and it's all ridiculous, but it's good, clean fun. While it's not exceptionally good writing, it's good enough that it makes me want to go back and read Cussler's early work, when he wasn't just getting published on his name alone.
Cussler also has a co-writer for this one (his son, Dirk Cussler), which, in my opinion, is ALWAYS a red flag. When well-known authors start writing "with" other people, it usually means they have become so lazy that they can't come up with any new ideas of their own, or they wrote a quick outline for a novel and had someone else actually write it. Again, see James Patterson.
So, truth be told, I was a bit leary about this one, and I didn't have high expectations. Consider my surprise and delight that I actually enjoyed the book.
I'm not going to lie: it starts slow. The real action didn't kick in until around page 150 (out of 600), the first 150 pages devoted mostly to scene-setting and necessary (but excruciatingly dry and, at times, textbook-like) backstory. I'm guessing Cussler books all follow a similar formula: at some point in history, a ship carrying treasure or objects of vital importance is lost; fast-forward hundreds of years to modern times when a clue is uncovered that reveals the possible whereabouts of said lost ship; adventurer and treasure-hunter Dirk Pitt and his crew go off to find it, only to encounter numerous obstacles and nefarious villains trying to prevent him from finding it.
I'm guessing each Cussler book is a "fill in the blank" in terms of historical period, lost treasure, modern-day clue, and nefarious villain. In this case, the book starts with a dying Genghis Khan in the 13th-century. The treasure is the long-lost burial place of Khan. The modern-day clue is a scroll found on the body of a dead archaeologist. The villain is a mysterious multi-billionaire who has access to untapped oil riches in Lower Mongolia and a giant gun that can create earthquakes.
Yes, it's pretty silly. It's part Indiana Jones and part James Bond, and it's all ridiculous, but it's good, clean fun. While it's not exceptionally good writing, it's good enough that it makes me want to go back and read Cussler's early work, when he wasn't just getting published on his name alone.
May 21, 2020
A scientific expedition, led by a beautiful woman as usual in these books, on Lake Baikal in Siberia is swamped by a huge wave. Of course, Pitt and Giordano just happen to be in the area, and come to the rescue.
Then a mysterious force sinks Pitt's ship and kidnaps the scientists. Pitt's pursuit takes him to Mongolia, where he vies for Genghis Khan's treasure with a power mad billionaire.
Very exciting. A worthy addition to the Cussler canon.
Then a mysterious force sinks Pitt's ship and kidnaps the scientists. Pitt's pursuit takes him to Mongolia, where he vies for Genghis Khan's treasure with a power mad billionaire.
Very exciting. A worthy addition to the Cussler canon.
June 20, 2021
Genghis Khan conquered half the world, now another Mongolian looks to conquer the rest through oil but inadvertently runs into the one man who can stop him. Treasure of Khan is the nineteenth book in Clive Cussler’s Dirk Pitt series and the second written with his son Dirk, as the elder Pitt returns to centerstage in a mostly land based adventure.
During the second failed Mongol invasion of Japan, a ship is swept out into the Pacific by a series of typhoons and survive long enough to land in the Hawaiian Islands. Several years later, reconstructing an old Polynesian ship and an elderly navigator the Mongol leader returns to China and a personal audience with Kublai Khan. In 1937, a British archaeologist unearths a box containing a scroll to the location of Genghis Khan burial location, but it is stolen by his Mongolian assistant as the archaeologist evacuates before the advancing Japanese. A relatively small oil company headed by Borjin, a Mongolian who is bent on taking control of the world oil market and re-uniting the Chinese province of Inner Mongolia—where he has found significant oil deposits buried at unusual depths—with Mongolia, has stolen a machine which can create an earthquake. He uses the machine to destroy major oil production facilities through the world, crippling China oil supply in a matter of weeks along with the rest of the worlds. He then uses this shortage to make an offer to supply China all the oil it needs. He demands that Inner Mongolia be ceded to Mongolia, and China pay market price for the oil he will supply them, which he guarantees will meet the colossal demands of the Chinese economy. China accepts this deal, not knowing of the hidden oil deposits they are handing to him. Dirk Pitt intervenes to end the situation and discovers that the grave of Genghis Khan has been located by Borjin, whose father stole the scroll to the burial location, and used the treasures to finance his company. Off the Big Island, Summer Pitt discovers a 13th-Century Chinese royal junk that eventually leads to Dirk Sr. figuring out where Kublai Khan’s tomb is located on the island from the other scroll that the elder Borjin did not take.
The return of the elder Dirk to the main character and the focus on Summer not being the damsel-in-distress Hawaiian subplot was a new wrinkle after the previous book. Both the main and subplots were well-written and resulted in a quick page turning story that is one of the best in the series. Unlike the previous novel, Borjin and his siblings were not memorable antagonists especially compared to some that the Pitts have faced in the past. Besides this one blemish, this second father-son effort by the Cusslers is a great follow up to their first.
Treasure of Khan is a particularly good installment in the decades-long Dirk Pitt franchise coming off the heels of another great previous installment. The decision to have Dirk Cussler join Clive in writing the series as so far paid off in a rise in quality.
During the second failed Mongol invasion of Japan, a ship is swept out into the Pacific by a series of typhoons and survive long enough to land in the Hawaiian Islands. Several years later, reconstructing an old Polynesian ship and an elderly navigator the Mongol leader returns to China and a personal audience with Kublai Khan. In 1937, a British archaeologist unearths a box containing a scroll to the location of Genghis Khan burial location, but it is stolen by his Mongolian assistant as the archaeologist evacuates before the advancing Japanese. A relatively small oil company headed by Borjin, a Mongolian who is bent on taking control of the world oil market and re-uniting the Chinese province of Inner Mongolia—where he has found significant oil deposits buried at unusual depths—with Mongolia, has stolen a machine which can create an earthquake. He uses the machine to destroy major oil production facilities through the world, crippling China oil supply in a matter of weeks along with the rest of the worlds. He then uses this shortage to make an offer to supply China all the oil it needs. He demands that Inner Mongolia be ceded to Mongolia, and China pay market price for the oil he will supply them, which he guarantees will meet the colossal demands of the Chinese economy. China accepts this deal, not knowing of the hidden oil deposits they are handing to him. Dirk Pitt intervenes to end the situation and discovers that the grave of Genghis Khan has been located by Borjin, whose father stole the scroll to the burial location, and used the treasures to finance his company. Off the Big Island, Summer Pitt discovers a 13th-Century Chinese royal junk that eventually leads to Dirk Sr. figuring out where Kublai Khan’s tomb is located on the island from the other scroll that the elder Borjin did not take.
The return of the elder Dirk to the main character and the focus on Summer not being the damsel-in-distress Hawaiian subplot was a new wrinkle after the previous book. Both the main and subplots were well-written and resulted in a quick page turning story that is one of the best in the series. Unlike the previous novel, Borjin and his siblings were not memorable antagonists especially compared to some that the Pitts have faced in the past. Besides this one blemish, this second father-son effort by the Cusslers is a great follow up to their first.
Treasure of Khan is a particularly good installment in the decades-long Dirk Pitt franchise coming off the heels of another great previous installment. The decision to have Dirk Cussler join Clive in writing the series as so far paid off in a rise in quality.
November 5, 2014
Terrible, Terrible, Terrible! An outrageously outlandish plot barely within sighting distance of reality. The "coolest", know-it-all, wise-cracking archaeologists-as-protagonists to have ever walked the earth. Decent dialogue is replaced by a bunch of dumb one-liners. Bad writing (ex. "The chills crept up her back like the Polar Express").
This was my first Cussler book, although I have been familiar with the character of Dirk Pitt. And it seems that Pitt is unashamedly based on Indiana Jones.
Late in the book Pitt is replaced with his son. Guess his name: also Dirk Pitt! This is lame writing, because he is not nearly distinguishable from Pitt Sr. This is merely a device the writer employed to show us how good Pitt is, since he can now simultaneously fight villains in locations on opposite sides of the world.
What really sent me over the edge was the action scene where Pitt and Giordino escape from an enclosed space behind a truck after being nearly surrounded by Mongolian sniper-archers battering them with God's Armageddon of arrows, spears and even bullets. They do so on a motorcycle with a sidecar that happened to have been standing on the truck, dressed in wooden boxes (yes, that ridiculous), not being hit once (because why would they be hit?), while Giordino-in-the-sidecar incapacitates most of the Mongolian sniper-archers by throwing them with horseshoes while Pitt makes donuts with the oh-so-mobile motorcycle...with a sidecar!
I gave the book about 200 pages after this ridiculous scene to redeem itself. But it never happened.
I still can not believe how bad this book was.
This was my first Cussler book, although I have been familiar with the character of Dirk Pitt. And it seems that Pitt is unashamedly based on Indiana Jones.
Late in the book Pitt is replaced with his son. Guess his name: also Dirk Pitt! This is lame writing, because he is not nearly distinguishable from Pitt Sr. This is merely a device the writer employed to show us how good Pitt is, since he can now simultaneously fight villains in locations on opposite sides of the world.
What really sent me over the edge was the action scene where Pitt and Giordino escape from an enclosed space behind a truck after being nearly surrounded by Mongolian sniper-archers battering them with God's Armageddon of arrows, spears and even bullets. They do so on a motorcycle with a sidecar that happened to have been standing on the truck, dressed in wooden boxes (yes, that ridiculous), not being hit once (because why would they be hit?), while Giordino-in-the-sidecar incapacitates most of the Mongolian sniper-archers by throwing them with horseshoes while Pitt makes donuts with the oh-so-mobile motorcycle...with a sidecar!
I gave the book about 200 pages after this ridiculous scene to redeem itself. But it never happened.
I still can not believe how bad this book was.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2019
James Bond meets Indiana Jones in another fun action/adventure! Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt just keep getting better with age! Cussler delivers in Treasure of Khan!
Dirk Pitt along with his children and sidekick Al Giordino, this time are up against a corrupt Oil company headed by a Mongolian Tyrant who is aiming to take over the world Oil Market, who has his hands on a deadly weapon that is capable of causing earthquakes all across the globe, sending the oil economy sky high! The secondary plot revolves around the search for search for the long-lost treasures and tombs of Genghis Khan and Kublai Khan.
From the freezing lakes of Siberia to the scorching sands of the Gobi Desert, Dirk Pitt is up against his deadliest adversary and his most entertaining adventure yet!!
Dirk Pitt along with his children and sidekick Al Giordino, this time are up against a corrupt Oil company headed by a Mongolian Tyrant who is aiming to take over the world Oil Market, who has his hands on a deadly weapon that is capable of causing earthquakes all across the globe, sending the oil economy sky high! The secondary plot revolves around the search for search for the long-lost treasures and tombs of Genghis Khan and Kublai Khan.
From the freezing lakes of Siberia to the scorching sands of the Gobi Desert, Dirk Pitt is up against his deadliest adversary and his most entertaining adventure yet!!
August 2, 2012
As a writer, I don’t read in the same way as a general reader, so my comments here may not be as helpful as they might otherwise be. Clive Cussler is, of course, a well-known thriller writer with a large number of sales to his name. If Treasure of Khan is representative of his style, however, I have to ask the simple question; why?
In common with most people these days, I have a limited amount of time, and my reading choices are therefore important: I’ve no desire to spend time reading something which is poorly written, when there’s such a wealth of well-written work out there. This book is supposed to be a thriller. The genre has the reputation of racing the reader through events, using action to drive interest. Character is, understandably, a less vital part of such books and I took up this book knowing such would be the case.
The story starts in 13th century Japan, moves in the next chapter to China during its war with Japan and then travels to Siberia in 2007. In 3 chapters we have travelled a vast region of an area with which most readers have no connection and little knowledge. There’s no apparent link between the events described in these opening chapters, but, hey, this is supposed to be an adventure story and, eventually, the back story will hopefully appear relevant. I’ll never know, however, because, although the action has already started by this point, I’ve lost all interest. I’m not hooked. I don’t care about what might or might not happen next. I have better things to do than invest more time in this particular pot-boiler.
There will be Cussler fans who will, no doubt, accuse me of blindness or some unspecified bias. But the simple fact is that this thriller failed to thrill, in any sense of the word. I was bored by the multitude of apparently unlinked facts, uninterested in any of the characters, confused by the apparent lack of any actual story thread and unmoved by the action scenes. These, the very essence of the thriller, were tedious and written in a style more suited to a factual report than to the presentation of exciting fiction.
I expected the characters to be two-dimensional, but not as cardboard as I found them. I expected to be moved to the edge of my seat and not bored into lethargy and total indifference, as I was. In defence of Cussler, I gather this is the umpteenth volume in a series starring the same major character; that, however, doesn’t excuse inadequate characterisation for those new to the series. Certainly, on the evidence of this book, I shan’t waste my time picking up another by the same author.
Ironically, this was one of four novels enclosed in a single volume I received free as a sampler from a book club. The other three books were excellent, so this piece stood out like the proverbial thumb; sore and in need of amputation.
So, sorry Cussler fans, I shan’t be joining your ranks. I hope you enjoy your fiction by this author but I seriously hope he, in turn, rewards your devotion by producing books of a far better quality than I found in Treasure of Khan. Unless someone tells me, I shall never know what that treasure was, and, to tell the truth, I really couldn’t care less. Need I say more?
In common with most people these days, I have a limited amount of time, and my reading choices are therefore important: I’ve no desire to spend time reading something which is poorly written, when there’s such a wealth of well-written work out there. This book is supposed to be a thriller. The genre has the reputation of racing the reader through events, using action to drive interest. Character is, understandably, a less vital part of such books and I took up this book knowing such would be the case.
The story starts in 13th century Japan, moves in the next chapter to China during its war with Japan and then travels to Siberia in 2007. In 3 chapters we have travelled a vast region of an area with which most readers have no connection and little knowledge. There’s no apparent link between the events described in these opening chapters, but, hey, this is supposed to be an adventure story and, eventually, the back story will hopefully appear relevant. I’ll never know, however, because, although the action has already started by this point, I’ve lost all interest. I’m not hooked. I don’t care about what might or might not happen next. I have better things to do than invest more time in this particular pot-boiler.
There will be Cussler fans who will, no doubt, accuse me of blindness or some unspecified bias. But the simple fact is that this thriller failed to thrill, in any sense of the word. I was bored by the multitude of apparently unlinked facts, uninterested in any of the characters, confused by the apparent lack of any actual story thread and unmoved by the action scenes. These, the very essence of the thriller, were tedious and written in a style more suited to a factual report than to the presentation of exciting fiction.
I expected the characters to be two-dimensional, but not as cardboard as I found them. I expected to be moved to the edge of my seat and not bored into lethargy and total indifference, as I was. In defence of Cussler, I gather this is the umpteenth volume in a series starring the same major character; that, however, doesn’t excuse inadequate characterisation for those new to the series. Certainly, on the evidence of this book, I shan’t waste my time picking up another by the same author.
Ironically, this was one of four novels enclosed in a single volume I received free as a sampler from a book club. The other three books were excellent, so this piece stood out like the proverbial thumb; sore and in need of amputation.
So, sorry Cussler fans, I shan’t be joining your ranks. I hope you enjoy your fiction by this author but I seriously hope he, in turn, rewards your devotion by producing books of a far better quality than I found in Treasure of Khan. Unless someone tells me, I shall never know what that treasure was, and, to tell the truth, I really couldn’t care less. Need I say more?
December 14, 2010
Although the novels can be a bit predictable and have a similar mix of: historic fact updated into a fictional discovery often with a Mr Big or Corporation trying to take over the world I still love the research used by Mr Cussler to bring the events to life. I know the gun-ho action etc is very tongue in cheek and unbelieveable- a cross between Bond and Biggles there is still a good entertainment value in each book. This book has the historical facts based around Gengis Khan leading to a treasure hunt. Again the action takes place in various countries mixed in with some interesting travel guide type information and colour. As I said most of his books follow similar structures and format but I do enjoy the overall effect and the fantasy of Cussler's novels the pure get away from it all attitude. Very entertaining.
September 6, 2022
This is the first Cussler/Pitt novel I've ever read so naturally I started with number 19.
It opens on medieval China and the aborted invasion of Japan. Ok cool backstory. Flash forward to China but this time its pre WWII. We have archeologists. Big Indiana Jones vibes. Frankly at this point I'm amped, I'm expecting a shameless golden age Indiana J rip off and I'm 100% here for it. Who wouldn't be.
BOOM. Flash forward agaiiiiiiiin. Were hanging out with some ocean nerds on a boat. From there it tries to be modern day Indiana Jones but the moment is past and the magic is lost. Easy read, cheesy banter that is in line with overall vibe.
But a moment of silence for the Indiana Jones rip off I built up in my head and lost. Pour some out.
It opens on medieval China and the aborted invasion of Japan. Ok cool backstory. Flash forward to China but this time its pre WWII. We have archeologists. Big Indiana Jones vibes. Frankly at this point I'm amped, I'm expecting a shameless golden age Indiana J rip off and I'm 100% here for it. Who wouldn't be.
BOOM. Flash forward agaiiiiiiiin. Were hanging out with some ocean nerds on a boat. From there it tries to be modern day Indiana Jones but the moment is past and the magic is lost. Easy read, cheesy banter that is in line with overall vibe.
But a moment of silence for the Indiana Jones rip off I built up in my head and lost. Pour some out.
March 13, 2008
After reading some deeper books, I needed a break and some mind candy. Clive Cussler always fits that bill. Dirk Pitt and Al Giordino are modern day adventurers who get into impossible situations and keep me entertained the whole time. I can always count on Clive Cussler to deliver a fun book.
June 22, 2022
4,5 stars - Nederlandse paperback
When Dirk Pitt is nearly killed rescuing an oil survey team from a freak wave on Russia’s Lake Baikal, it appears a simple act of nature. But when the survey team is abducted and Pitt’s research vessel nearly sunk, it becomes clear this is no run of bad luck, but the influence of something, or someone, more sinister.
In fact, Pitt and the NUMA crew have inadvertently stepped between a Mongolian tycoon and his plans to corner the global oil market, beginning with covert negotiations in China. To ensure the deal goes through, this mysterious businessman will encourage ever-escalating acts of sabotage and violence.
Pitt and Giordino soon learn the magnate’s fury and his power both stem from the same source: a dark secret about Genghis Khan, the greatest conqueror the world has ever known. To Pitt and Giordino the famed Khan’s empire is nearly the stuff of legend and his tomb a forgotten mystery. But the Khan’s legacy is very real. And it’s the treasure of his grandson Kublai Khan that holds the key to stopping this modern-day oil baron from restoring the conquests of his ancestors. That is, if Pitt and Giordino get there first....
This is unlike any Clive Cuddler book I've ever read. I recently picked up on the Pittvseries after 20 years or so, and each one has been exactly what I expect from a Cussler story and great pacing.
A plot that progresses with few wasted words,band typical action hero stuff.
This book is substandard. I could not put it doen but I had to get some sleep. Fist taak i n the morfine, Coffee and reading again. That good was this book for me.
When Dirk Pitt is nearly killed rescuing an oil survey team from a freak wave on Russia’s Lake Baikal, it appears a simple act of nature. But when the survey team is abducted and Pitt’s research vessel nearly sunk, it becomes clear this is no run of bad luck, but the influence of something, or someone, more sinister.
In fact, Pitt and the NUMA crew have inadvertently stepped between a Mongolian tycoon and his plans to corner the global oil market, beginning with covert negotiations in China. To ensure the deal goes through, this mysterious businessman will encourage ever-escalating acts of sabotage and violence.
Pitt and Giordino soon learn the magnate’s fury and his power both stem from the same source: a dark secret about Genghis Khan, the greatest conqueror the world has ever known. To Pitt and Giordino the famed Khan’s empire is nearly the stuff of legend and his tomb a forgotten mystery. But the Khan’s legacy is very real. And it’s the treasure of his grandson Kublai Khan that holds the key to stopping this modern-day oil baron from restoring the conquests of his ancestors. That is, if Pitt and Giordino get there first....
This is unlike any Clive Cuddler book I've ever read. I recently picked up on the Pittvseries after 20 years or so, and each one has been exactly what I expect from a Cussler story and great pacing.
A plot that progresses with few wasted words,band typical action hero stuff.
This book is substandard. I could not put it doen but I had to get some sleep. Fist taak i n the morfine, Coffee and reading again. That good was this book for me.
August 27, 2017
En opnieuw de zelfde opzet die we al kennen van eerdere Cussler boeken. Een evenement in het verleden, dan een sprong naar deze tijd, waar het gebeuren van het verleden een vervolg krijgen.
Aardig, maar ongeloofwaardig verhaal. Wat te denken van Dirk en Al die zich redden uit een omsingeling door Mongoolse ruiters, door met een toevallig aanwezige motor-fiets met zijspan. Giordino weet met een hoeveelheid hoefijzers vanuit de rijdende zijspan diverse ruiters te raken.
De 50 pagina's durende proloog bevatte eigenlijk twee delen. In het eerste de strijd tussen Mongolië en Japan in de jaren 1200. Het tweede deel speelt zich af in de jaren '30, toen de Japanners samen met de Nazi's vochten. Deze hele proloog had in een paar simple regels samengevat kunnen worden, en had weinig met het hoofdverhaal te maken.
Aardig, maar ongeloofwaardig verhaal. Wat te denken van Dirk en Al die zich redden uit een omsingeling door Mongoolse ruiters, door met een toevallig aanwezige motor-fiets met zijspan. Giordino weet met een hoeveelheid hoefijzers vanuit de rijdende zijspan diverse ruiters te raken.
De 50 pagina's durende proloog bevatte eigenlijk twee delen. In het eerste de strijd tussen Mongolië en Japan in de jaren 1200. Het tweede deel speelt zich af in de jaren '30, toen de Japanners samen met de Nazi's vochten. Deze hele proloog had in een paar simple regels samengevat kunnen worden, en had weinig met het hoofdverhaal te maken.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 3, 2021
This is a Dirk Pitt novel that explores the Mongolian Empire, oil, and the resting place of Genghis Khan. Dirk finds himself immersed in all of this when he rescues a surveying team in Siberia. This leads to the possibility of someone trying to reestablish the Mongolian Empire by controlling the oil deposits in land owned by the Chinese. The idea is to get the land annexed back to Mongolia by nefarious means. While Dirk is attempting to thwart this he becomes involved with finding the tomb and treasure of Genghis Kahn. Another great adventure story that may not be as exciting as his other books but certainly well worth the read.
July 28, 2021
This is another exciting installment in the Dirk Pitt series. There is a treasure hunt for a ship swept out to sea long ago, while at the same time, working to save the world from an evil descendent of Kublai Khan. Dirk Pitt and the NUMA team embark on an quest to keep the world from destruction and thwart a scam to control oil supply to the world. This book takes you back in time to Kublai Khan, and then back to the present. Dirk Pitt’s daughter and son also get into the adventure. It was a great ending to another great adventure by Clive Cussler. I really enjoyed it!
September 2, 2020
One of those fun reads where after your done with it, you do some research and look up things that happened in the book and then keep going!
October 27, 2024
This was a typical Dirk Pitt novel, hard to follow at points, but still entertaining.
January 17, 2024
Just a good old adventure! Action, mystery, everything you could want in a classic adventure novel.
January 27, 2020
Another great adventure...interesting to learn more about Mongolia.
June 11, 2024
Dirk is the Indiana Jones of the water
November 9, 2017
Holy mothballs! This was one amazing book. It did run true to many of the things we've come to expect from the super adventures of Dirk Pitt. Other than the fact that no one real would perhaps survive what Pitt and his team survives, this book had everything that kept me at the edge of my seat at well paced intervals.
I love it when a book is paced so that you have plenty of action, but also plenty of backdrop which builds narrative and character arcs, while also serving as a contrast against the adrenaline pumping action. I believe Cussler has mastered this art in all of his writing.
I have said this in other reviews of Clive Cussler's work - I am not a fan of his cameos in his work, but that doesn't detract from the technical mastery of the adventure story as an art form here. This is absolutely worth putting your eyeballs on.
Spoilers from here on:
So, it may be far fetched that two enormous historical finds were both found in the same adventure, and it may also be farfetched that the same airplane in the desert idea that was used in Sahara was used here also, as well as the murderous trek through the desert idea. Some of it does read stale if you've read lots of Cussler, but I didn't find that it lessened the enjoyment of the book.
Pitt's longevity in the face of enormous odds is one of the reasons these books are so much fun, but they are also reasons to disbelieve that it's ever humanly possible. Just think of Pitt as a superhero, and you'll be fine.
I love it when a book is paced so that you have plenty of action, but also plenty of backdrop which builds narrative and character arcs, while also serving as a contrast against the adrenaline pumping action. I believe Cussler has mastered this art in all of his writing.
I have said this in other reviews of Clive Cussler's work - I am not a fan of his cameos in his work, but that doesn't detract from the technical mastery of the adventure story as an art form here. This is absolutely worth putting your eyeballs on.
Spoilers from here on:
So, it may be far fetched that two enormous historical finds were both found in the same adventure, and it may also be farfetched that the same airplane in the desert idea that was used in Sahara was used here also, as well as the murderous trek through the desert idea. Some of it does read stale if you've read lots of Cussler, but I didn't find that it lessened the enjoyment of the book.
Pitt's longevity in the face of enormous odds is one of the reasons these books are so much fun, but they are also reasons to disbelieve that it's ever humanly possible. Just think of Pitt as a superhero, and you'll be fine.
December 25, 2011
Personal Rating: 1.3 / 10
Abandoned.
The prologue began with some promise, but quickly descended from there. The authors chose to blather on endlessly instead of telling an orderly story. The characters were flat, and the prose was nearly unreadable.
To be fair to the Cusslers, I did ‘read’ the audiobook version, read by voice actor Scott Brick. Mr. Brick has precisely one emotion in his voice: ominous. It gets quite tedious quite quickly.
However, father and son Cussler do share much of the blame for my abandonment of this novel. Case and point, Clive Cussler, being one of the most successful authors of all time, chose to sell out on the art in order to get there. One doesn’t become a king of pulp without the approval of whom I call the MFCC: The Midwestern Fuckwad Censorship Caucus. As soon as Giordino said “What the heck?”, I knew I was in for some bad prose that accents characters so contrived they may as well have been plastic. Real people don’t talk like that.
Although I find the Khan Dynasty fascinating and the history surrounding it was well done, the incredibly tedious detour to Lake Baikal and the Cusslers’ inability to write intriguing characters or anything with more anatomical correctness than a Ken doll, I abandoned the book about a third of the way through.
Abandoned.
The prologue began with some promise, but quickly descended from there. The authors chose to blather on endlessly instead of telling an orderly story. The characters were flat, and the prose was nearly unreadable.
To be fair to the Cusslers, I did ‘read’ the audiobook version, read by voice actor Scott Brick. Mr. Brick has precisely one emotion in his voice: ominous. It gets quite tedious quite quickly.
However, father and son Cussler do share much of the blame for my abandonment of this novel. Case and point, Clive Cussler, being one of the most successful authors of all time, chose to sell out on the art in order to get there. One doesn’t become a king of pulp without the approval of whom I call the MFCC: The Midwestern Fuckwad Censorship Caucus. As soon as Giordino said “What the heck?”, I knew I was in for some bad prose that accents characters so contrived they may as well have been plastic. Real people don’t talk like that.
Although I find the Khan Dynasty fascinating and the history surrounding it was well done, the incredibly tedious detour to Lake Baikal and the Cusslers’ inability to write intriguing characters or anything with more anatomical correctness than a Ken doll, I abandoned the book about a third of the way through.
December 29, 2012
I picked this out at the library when my last audiobook ended. I hadn't read a Clive Cussler book in ages, but I remembered the plots being pretty engaging, so I started it with no small sense of anticipation. The plot did not disappoint, but the writing sure did! I don't know if it was the audiobook format or the grammar snobbery that comes with being a literature major (just kidding! I was a grammar snob long before I was a lit. major!), but the errors were just inexcusable. I mean, there were subject/verb agreement issues. I know that no one reads Clive Cussler for his high-flown prose, but COME ON. If you're going to make millions as a "writer," at least make sure your nouns and verbs agree.
In addition, I found it extremely odd that Dirk Pitt had mystery twins with his long-lost love, Summer, and she named them...Dirk and Summer. That is bordering on creepy. It also makes it difficult to tell who is talking when Dirk and Dirk are in the same scene, as Cussler refuses to refer to them as Junior and Senior, instead just calling them both Dirk. The elder Summer is dead, so no confusion there, but the gents pose a bit of a problem.
Anyway, aside from those (admittedly possibly personal) issues that I had with the book, it was fine. Lots of stuff happened and lots of stuff got destroyed, so a pretty typical Cussler, if I am remembering them accurately.
In addition, I found it extremely odd that Dirk Pitt had mystery twins with his long-lost love, Summer, and she named them...Dirk and Summer. That is bordering on creepy. It also makes it difficult to tell who is talking when Dirk and Dirk are in the same scene, as Cussler refuses to refer to them as Junior and Senior, instead just calling them both Dirk. The elder Summer is dead, so no confusion there, but the gents pose a bit of a problem.
Anyway, aside from those (admittedly possibly personal) issues that I had with the book, it was fine. Lots of stuff happened and lots of stuff got destroyed, so a pretty typical Cussler, if I am remembering them accurately.
July 3, 2018
Ah, my old friend, Dirk Pitt - sticking his nose where it doesn't belong, foiling criminal masterminds, saving the world, discovering historical treasures - in every book!
I haven't read one of these in five or ten years but I'm not sure why I stopped reading. While completely fantastic and beyond the realm of realistic (not even in the same galaxy) I always love the adventure and history and world wide travel. Each new coincidence and crazy plot point just makes me chuckle - of course Dirk and his family discover three different archaeological finds around the world at the same time, solving one big, historical mystery. Of course Dirk and Al can single-handedly rescue several people from the madman's well-guarded compound. Of course they can trek across the desert for days without food or water and be found by benevolent local people. These things happen in almost every Pitt novel and people (like me) keep reading them because they love it.
For all the unlikely plot points, the characters are romanticized and idealistic and the writing is not terrible. Could be so much worse. No sex in this one, which is unusual, but plenty of violence. They are usually very clean in language for novels of this type as well. This is obviously not getting 4 stars on merit alone, but purely because of my enjoyment (which probably only comes if you read a lot of them).
I haven't read one of these in five or ten years but I'm not sure why I stopped reading. While completely fantastic and beyond the realm of realistic (not even in the same galaxy) I always love the adventure and history and world wide travel. Each new coincidence and crazy plot point just makes me chuckle - of course Dirk and his family discover three different archaeological finds around the world at the same time, solving one big, historical mystery. Of course Dirk and Al can single-handedly rescue several people from the madman's well-guarded compound. Of course they can trek across the desert for days without food or water and be found by benevolent local people. These things happen in almost every Pitt novel and people (like me) keep reading them because they love it.
For all the unlikely plot points, the characters are romanticized and idealistic and the writing is not terrible. Could be so much worse. No sex in this one, which is unusual, but plenty of violence. They are usually very clean in language for novels of this type as well. This is obviously not getting 4 stars on merit alone, but purely because of my enjoyment (which probably only comes if you read a lot of them).
June 20, 2012
I read this book as part of the June Reading Challenge for one of my GR book clubs. It was recommended to me by my husband. I was intrigued to start with because it is something my husband reads and we normally have very differing taste in books.
This book gets off to a good start by pulling you in to the historical context that will lay the foundation for the entire book. However, around page 150 or so I started to lose interest until about page 550! Too, too much unnecessary detail! This book could have been told in half the amount of words and still have the same impact.
The story was true enough, being about oil and the associated greed. It was good adventure fiction and the fact the Pitt's never die! The treasure hunt throughout the book was fun. And to be fair with all of the detail your imagination does run away from you from time to time! :-)
So if you like lots of unnecessary detail this is the book for you! :-) To say the least I will not be reading any other C Cussler books in a hurry!
This book gets off to a good start by pulling you in to the historical context that will lay the foundation for the entire book. However, around page 150 or so I started to lose interest until about page 550! Too, too much unnecessary detail! This book could have been told in half the amount of words and still have the same impact.
The story was true enough, being about oil and the associated greed. It was good adventure fiction and the fact the Pitt's never die! The treasure hunt throughout the book was fun. And to be fair with all of the detail your imagination does run away from you from time to time! :-)
So if you like lots of unnecessary detail this is the book for you! :-) To say the least I will not be reading any other C Cussler books in a hurry!
April 21, 2013
While I understand that the Cussler novels are mass market and formulaic, I still think the quality of writing matters. Of the dozen or so Cussler novels I've read, this isn't the best written. Yes, it was an entertaining read, but certainly not up to the quality and sheer enjoyment pleasure of, say Spartan Gold or The Chase.
The short of it is, a Mongolian descendant of Ghenghis Kahn wants to return Mongolia to its former glory by cornering the oil markets of major nations. He does this using a device that causes earthquakes. The sheer massiveness of the endeavor and the destructive forces unleashed are the stuff of pure fantasy, but then this is fiction, is it not?
While certainly larger than life, the characters (who I've come to know well) are believable and quirky enough to be entertaining by themselves. The story line moves along with Cussler's usual efficiency as the protagonists meet and overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
For a mass market Cussler novel, this was okay, but not great. If you like Cussler, it's worth the read.
The short of it is, a Mongolian descendant of Ghenghis Kahn wants to return Mongolia to its former glory by cornering the oil markets of major nations. He does this using a device that causes earthquakes. The sheer massiveness of the endeavor and the destructive forces unleashed are the stuff of pure fantasy, but then this is fiction, is it not?
While certainly larger than life, the characters (who I've come to know well) are believable and quirky enough to be entertaining by themselves. The story line moves along with Cussler's usual efficiency as the protagonists meet and overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
For a mass market Cussler novel, this was okay, but not great. If you like Cussler, it's worth the read.
January 25, 2011
Baca buku ini kayak makan Gado-Gado deh... semua rasa ada, dan setelah dikunyah rasanya...Wow! Meski dominan di petualangan-sejarah, Clive Cussler juga memadukan science dan thriller juga. Dibuka dengan adegan perang di atas kapal yang menyebabkan Mongol gagal menginvasi Jepang, lalu berlanjut ke situs penggalian arkeologi yang akhirnya menemukan peta kuburan the Great Genghis Khan. Setelah itu hingga akhir buku ini kita akan mengikuti petualangan seru Dirk Pitt dkk menyelamatkan ilmuwan yang lenyap secara misterius dari kapal, hingga menemukan misteri beberapa bencana gempa yang ternyata berkaitan dengan rencana Borjin untuk mengangkangi dunia lewat harta emas hitam (baca: minyak) milik Mongol. Wah...pokoknya seru deh, tak mampu diceritakan hanya dalam beberaa kalimat aja! Four thumbs up deh (jempol kaki ikut2an..)
October 22, 2009
The only Clive Cussler novel I've read. I like his writing style and plot development, but the resolution was very disappointing in that it depended so completely on outrageous luck. I appreciate that Cussler is a moralist--this book was very clean in terms of language, sex and violence. He even went out of his way to not kill anybody off (except at the climax where is was kind of necessary)even though the circumstances would warrant it. It felt like a kid's action cartoon that way--tough talk, a few punches, gunfire then everyone gets up, brushes off and goes their separate ways maybe even shaking hands before parting.
January 22, 2018
This book received a lot of bad reviews recently, but I'd disagree. As a fan of the Dirk Pitt series I thought this one was quite good. We're not looking for Hemingway writing here. It's action-adventure with goofy one-liners and over-the-top criminal scenerios that are clearly improbable in a real world. Hey folks, it's fiction! You know, make believe? Anyway, Pitt battles an oil tycoon who is creating earthquakes that damage his competitors reserves. He tracks down some history and treasures of Genghis Khan along the way! I like the Pitt books better before Cussler was writing with his son, but nevertheless I enjoy these reads!
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