Reviews

Raise the Titanic! by Clive Cussler

ejlagerstrom's review against another edition

adventurous informative mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

What can I say? It’s Clive Kessler.! Mr. Pitt doesn’t make his debut until almost 120 pages in, but still a great book

sianw1992's review against another edition

5.0

Raise The Titanic by Clive Cussler

This was my first taste of Cussler and I absolutely loved it! There aren't many people who aren't inrigued by the story of the Titanic and Dirk Pitt and the NUMA crew attemtping to raise it was exciting, full of action and fun.

hauntedjen's review against another edition

4.0

I think I was in high school when Kate Winslet stood on the bow of the Titanic and let Leonardo DiCaprio take her in his arms as their doomed love affair began onscreen. I saw not only what the Titanic looked like from its final resting place on the bottom of the sea, but also James Cameron's lovingly crafted vision of the Titanic when she sailed on her maiden voyage. This said, Clive Cussler's original imagining of the raising of the Titanic was breathtaking. It was not hard to believe in a world where even her location on the sea floor was as yet undiscovered. The first discovery of debris from the ship elicited excitement, and the final cresting of her decks above the waves brought tears to my eyes. Cussler gave us an amazing interconnected plot and the best crew in the world to undertake the salvaging of the most amazing ship in "Raise the Titanic!" a decade before she was actually located. Could I go back in a time machine to 1975, I would rather had discovered her with Clive Cussler than James Cameron! (My only caveat to my endorsement is this: The character of Dana Seagram could be completely removed from the book with no qualms from me. She's a 1975 vision of what an 1988 independent working woman and wife would be like, and she is a disappointing, selfish, awful human being, much less, woman. Thank goodness that Mr. Cussler has grown past this view of women in subsequent years.)

hermoine7's review against another edition

adventurous challenging informative mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

enterprisingsmoo's review against another edition

adventurous fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

3.25

Oddly enough, I liked the parts that focused on Joshua Hays Brewster more than the actual Titanic salvage operation. A fun enough adventure, though the sexism and racism were unfortunate. It was written in the 70s, so I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised.

hanolino's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful informative reflective relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

3.75

johnlambrechts's review against another edition

4.0

Good, aged pretty well and captured the majesty of Titanic rising from the depths of the sea.

wickedplutoswickedreading's review against another edition

adventurous tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Can't say its my favorite Pitt.

Which is disappointing. I mean, ot has to do with trying to salvage the Titanic,  a wreck I'm mildly obsessed with, and its a Cussler.  should have been very readable right?

Um no.

This was the bad part of the 70s. Commentary about "liberated females", nude scenes that were not necessary ( not to be a prude but like what was the point), and just some very crap attitudes from Pitt. 

I mean maybe I was looking at him through rose colored glasses when I first starting reading his adventures as a teen. But the other ones....do not paint him like such an asshole. 

Maybe, its because the others I've read are post this book......maybe its because Cussler evolved as a writer and so Pitt did as well. 

I know, I'm not exactly the target audience.
But I'm just used to admiring Pitt. This....not so much. 

do have to admit, one scene right near the end was gnarly as fuck. very Poe. I loved it. 

Anyhow, slight disappointment. rather dated. Wish they really could have pulled that old beaut up from the depths.

mattia_masciadra's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

gossamerwingedgazelle's review against another edition

3.0

I liked "The Mediterranean Caper". "Iceburg" was too homophobic for comfort. "Raise the Titanic!" was a generally good read, but the female characters were crappy. Of course, the story was written before the Titanic's rediscovery in 1985 and before any analysis was done, so they didn't know that the ship cracked in half.