Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I think Cussler is getting worse with each subsequent book. This one was a stinker.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Clive Cussler is pretty well known for his brand of treasure hunting thrillers. I've read them for years, from picking up Raise the Titanic in the early eighties, through to his latest, written by his son. I used to look forward to his Dirk Pitt books, but the last few have been very mediocre, or is it that my tastes have changed? I decided to reread a few of them this year, starting with Treasure, a book I remember really liking.
Dirk and his sidekick Al Giordino are once again in the right place at the right time as they help rescue survivors from a downed aircraft in a fjord in Greenland. There they find an ancient roman shipwreck where a roman ship should never have been. This leads them to try to discover where the lost library of Alexandria has been hidden. Add in an uprising in both Mexico and Egypt and you've got the starting of a novel.
Treasure is an enjoyable romp if you can get above the sabre rattling of the politics and the casual misogyny of the main character. Dirk is very much an eighties man, much in the way James Bond was in the sixties. The actual story of finding a treasure lost for centuries and how they manage to track it down are actually good. The reason I loved these books were that it made the impossible seem possible. However today they seem banal and embarrassing. It's a shame because the basic storytelling is good.
Dirk and his sidekick Al Giordino are once again in the right place at the right time as they help rescue survivors from a downed aircraft in a fjord in Greenland. There they find an ancient roman shipwreck where a roman ship should never have been. This leads them to try to discover where the lost library of Alexandria has been hidden. Add in an uprising in both Mexico and Egypt and you've got the starting of a novel.
Treasure is an enjoyable romp if you can get above the sabre rattling of the politics and the casual misogyny of the main character. Dirk is very much an eighties man, much in the way James Bond was in the sixties. The actual story of finding a treasure lost for centuries and how they manage to track it down are actually good. The reason I loved these books were that it made the impossible seem possible. However today they seem banal and embarrassing. It's a shame because the basic storytelling is good.
adventurous
medium-paced
I'm going to have to agree with others who have reviewed this recently when I say that this is an antiquated adventure novel.
I wanted to love this book more than I did. Sure, there was lots of deception, high-stakes, and daring escapes - love it! What I could do with less of is this toxic ultra-masculinity and stop with the sexism already. I would argue that it's less in each book, but I'm tired of it being portrayed that every woman wants to bed him and every guy wants to be him. Gross.
Regardless of that, I enjoyed aspects of this book and am going to continue with the series because I can't help myself. I know, I'm the worst.
I wanted to love this book more than I did. Sure, there was lots of deception, high-stakes, and daring escapes - love it! What I could do with less of is this toxic ultra-masculinity and stop with the sexism already. I would argue that it's less in each book, but I'm tired of it being portrayed that every woman wants to bed him and every guy wants to be him. Gross.
Regardless of that, I enjoyed aspects of this book and am going to continue with the series because I can't help myself. I know, I'm the worst.
So for a book titled "Treasure", you'd think there'd actually be a search for treasure or a treasure hunt or something else to do with treasure, right? Nope, this book is about terrorists and global conspiracies. They briefly mention the treasure at the beginning, then it's 300 pages about terrorists, and then a 15 page wrap up about the treasure.
adventurous
medium-paced
So this is a spy novel masquerading as a treasure hunting book. But at least this time the espionage slightly corresponded with the treasure hunt.
One of my biggest issues with Cussler in these books is that he makes women thrown themselves at Pitt. The relationship with Lily has some basis. But that Hala jumps his bones while he’s injured and because she feels indebted to him is far left field.
I do thing this book was significantly longer than necessary because of the political plot lines. But at least for once it wasn’t the Russians causing trouble.
I will say I enjoyed the story as the plot was very action based.
One of my biggest issues with Cussler in these books is that he makes women thrown themselves at Pitt. The relationship with Lily has some basis. But that Hala jumps his bones while he’s injured and because she feels indebted to him is far left field.
I do thing this book was significantly longer than necessary because of the political plot lines. But at least for once it wasn’t the Russians causing trouble.
I will say I enjoyed the story as the plot was very action based.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No