sarahd3's review
4.0
More fun and adventure from Cussler. Love the way he takes us all over the world in his adventures with husband and wife, Sam and Remi Fargo. This adventure takes us back to the origins of the Aztecs and the Civil War.
jesssika's review
3.0
The story involves a lost Confederate ship whose captain may have found the origins of the Aztec people. The main characters are the husband and wife team of Sam and Remi Fargo. The Fargos travel from Tanzania to Zanzibar, Madagascar to Indonesia, with several trips in between to Southern California where they draw upon the computer skills of their research staff led by Selma. Along the way, they are threatened by assorted villains. Yet, I never got the feeling that they were ever IN danger, since they always managed to escape, with a few scratches and bruises. Then, they'd just meagerly continue on to their next capture and beating. After all, Indiana Jones never died...he always managed to escape the most outrageous cliffhanging dangers. So, too, do the Fargos manage with minor injuries...including Remi being shot in her leg. Something which only manages to slightly incapacitate her.
My main complaint is that even with all this excitement within the very predictable plot, I felt no excitement or care for it. I won't be continuing with this series, but I am going to give his Dirk Pitt series a try.
My main complaint is that even with all this excitement within the very predictable plot, I felt no excitement or care for it. I won't be continuing with this series, but I am going to give his Dirk Pitt series a try.
logicshot's review
adventurous
challenging
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
abbi_cowgirl's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
melkarth's review
3.0
Novelilla de aventuras entretenida, con personajes planos y muchos viajes por sitios exóticos. Lo normal y esperable.
llamasr4me's review
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
wynter's review
3.0
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.
weaselweader's review
2.0
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
cnorbury's review against another edition
4.0
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.