Blue Gold

To Small Of Print For Me

The faithful followers of Clive Cussler will find Blue Gold to be a great summer read. While I was initially drawn to the new series by Cussler and Kemprecos as a way to quench my thirst for Cussler in between the Dirk Pitt novels, the series starring Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala is clearly coming into its own. Blue Gold, the second installment in the series, is a classic Cussler story of good versus evil. An important event from the past - in this case a downed airplane carrying a beautiful scientist with an invention that will benefit mankind - sets the stage for the remainder of a novel filled with all of the action, suspense, and frequent plot twists that have become Cussler's trademark. Like Serpent, Blue Gold provides a broader character set from NUMA that the typical Dirk Pitt novel, with each character's personality adding to the depth and breadth of the story. The ongoing inclusion of crossover characters from the Pitt novels (i.e. Admiral Sandecker, Hiram Yeager) also adds substance. All-in-all, this book was a great read and very difficult to put down. The only downside was that, given that the book was under 400 pages, the enjoyment was over all too quickly.

Other best-selling Authors who have "co-authored" books that have gotten a marginal or strongly negative reception, heads up, "Blue Gold" is how it's done.This was not quite a five star read but the quality of the book that Mr. Cussler has put his name on and given to fans is not the compromised mess that other established stars of the genre have dealt recently. And while the paternity of the book is apparent, the outrageous "escape from Cuba in a bathtub" story lines have been toned down. They all were fun reads; I just enjoyed this work, as it didn't stretch credulity on every page. The result is this latest effort that I enjoyed as much as some of Mr. Cussler's best work. I mean no slight to Mr. Kemprecos, as I have no way of knowing to what degree he created this work, but whatever his involvement, he deserves high marks.The book is very tightly written, well paced, and even though a bit less outlandish, is every bit as good as the previous 16 bestsellers this storyteller has given readers. The series while continuing more toward a stand-alone status still retains some crossover, and in this case Admiral Sandecker and Hiram Yaeger were very well integrated. This tale did not have a fairy tale ending, and for me that added a great deal to the book.The villain brought to mind an extended Cruella DeVil, which these authors brought off very well when it could have fallen flat. Per the book's description the "metal mouthed morons" were bordering on the annoying, but didn't cross the line.All considered a well-done work worthy of a genre that Cussler can almost claim as his own. That the book is priced at about half of what many hardcover books demand, is a bonus. Unlike some others who have attempted this new outlet for their work, I hope Mr. Cussler and Mr. Kemprecos produce many more.The book is a nice bonus as it arrived within days of Mr. Cussler successfully bringing ashore the Confederate submarine "Hunley" which had lain on the ocean floor for almost 150 years.

No matter how many bad guys he kills, and how many woman he woos, Kurt Austin can not compare to Dirk Pitt. Classic car collections are much cooler than dueling pistols, and Dirk is a much more Suave charector. But in the end, this book was packed with adventure, and fills in the gaps between the Dirk Pitt novels, because lets face it, for me no function in this wolrd, I need my fix of Clive Cussler adventure. A very exciting book.

Clive Cussler's knack for writing tales that seem beyond belief astounds me. In Blue Gold, he weaves such a fantastic tale that one wonders if it might possibly be true - were there trans-Atlantic ocean crossings that brought many different ethnicities together? How can one explain the different facial features in the rock carvings around the world, representing cultures that have never been found to exist in places like Mexico? Fantastic story, completely believable!Cussler's new tag-team of agents smoothly take over where Dirk Pitts and Al Giordino leave off. In fact, in a humorous way, Cussler works Pitts & Giordino into the storyline throughout; Joe Zavala and Kurt Austin are strongly written characters with all the zeal and gusto that we have grown to love about Pitts & Giordino. This is not a tale about the new guard replacing the old at NUMA, but rather a fascinating new wrinkle that makes me hope that eventually Zavala and Austin will team up with Pitts & Giordino in some lavishly written novel that requires each man's special talents (more so than the brief involvement that Cussler has allowed Dirk and Al in Blue Gold).I read this book way too quickly - and was disappointed that I had finished it so fast instead of savoring every page like a delicious dessert. I sincerely hope that soon Cussler will have the opportunity to see his works developed as motion pictures, as I thoroughly enjoy how his books play out in my imagination!Peace Out.

Clive Cussler has another winner. Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala are great new leading characters but it's also nice to welcome back some old friends, Admiral Sandecker, Paul and Gamay Trout and of course Hiram Yaeger. A great plot full of action, wonderful descriptions and great characters. Who could ask for anything more!!