Reviews

Ouro Azul by Clive Cussler, Paul Kemprecos

susani_'s review against another edition

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2.0

Blue Gold by Clive Cussler was required reading for my post-graduate studies unit 'Crime Fiction.' However, it took me a long time to complete reading it. I don't think it had to do with it being a bad book per se, but rather I had other books I wanted to read, and so it felt like a chore.

I can see the commercial appeal and why Clive Cussler generally sold quite well. Blue Gold looks at the morality of one transactional company holding the privatising right of freshwater supply. Water is such a precious commodity and is essential to sustaining life. It follows Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala, NUMA scientists Paul and Gamay Trout and Dr Francesca Cabral who all are investigating or essential to the bigger crime that Gogstad is committing.

2.5 stars

balthazarlawson's review against another edition

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4.0

The first two thirds of this book are two stories. One is Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala who are trying to find out why a pod of dead whales sunk their race boat and Gamay and Paul Trout are in the jungles of Venezuela researching river dolphins. The Trouts end up fighting for their lives when they try to be helpful to their local host. Kurt and Joe find that they are hunting a mega corporation that doesn't take too kindly to people taking interest in them.

Of course these two story lines come together as the team take on the mega corporation that is trying to take control of the world's fresh water supply.

This is a nice thriller, totally over the top of course, but entertaining. Though there are times when it feels a bit rushed.

trisha76's review against another edition

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3.0

Inhoud: Dr. Francesca Cabril heeft een even spectaculaire als goedkope methode ontwikkeld om zeewater te ontzilten.
Als ze onderweg is om deze uitvinding te presenteren op een wereldcongres, verdwijnt haar vliegtuig boven de jungle. Tien jaar later zijn onderzoekers van het NUMA bezig met een studie van de Amazonerivier. Een dode indiaan in een kano dwingt hen tot een speurtocht, die hen leidt tot bij Dr. Cabril, nu opperhoofd en godin van de indianenstam.
Elders sterven walvissen een mysterieuze dood en dus wordt het tijd voor Kurt Austin van de Numa om in actie te komen. Al snel wordt duidelijk dat een misdadige organisatie het wereldwaterbeheer in particuliere handen wil krijgen, want met dit blauwe goud zijn weldra fortuinen te verdienen...
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Waardering:
Lastig te beoordelen. Maar de drie sterren zijn het in ieder geval waard. Het is een tijd geleden dat ik het boek heb gelezen en het wordt tijd dat ik het opnieuw lees.
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Clive Cussler is geboren in 1931 te Aurora Illinois en opgegroeid in Alhambra California. De laatste plaats was voor hem het belangrijkste in verband met de zee waar het aan lag.
Cussler ging twee jaar naar de universiteit toen de plicht riep en hij naar Korea ging voor de oorlog. Hij werd uiteindelijk sergeant en vliegtuigtechnicus. Na zijn diensttijd ging hij in de reclame werken. Eerst als copywriter en later als creatieve directeur. Voor het schrijven van diverse reclames voor tv en radio heeft Cussler een prijs op Cannes gewonnen.
In 1965 begon Cussler te schrijven.
Tevens is hij oprichter van NUMA een instelling die zich bezig houdt met maritieme en marine geschiedenis en het vinden van spullen van historische waarden zodat ze tentoongesteld kunnen worden bij non-profit orgnisaties.
Meer informatie over Clive Cussler, zijn boeks en NUMA is te vinden op een van de onderstaande sites:
http://www.clive-cussler-books.com/
http://www.crimezone.nl/web/Interviews/Artikel/Dossier-Clive-Cussler.htm
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Overige boekinformatie:
Uitgeverij: The house of books
ISBN: 90.443.019.X
349 pagina's

mmiller8's review against another edition

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1.0

with Paul Kemprekos

hockeyceres's review against another edition

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4.0

Buona lettura avventurosa e leggera da godersi nei periodi in cui non si vuole pensare troppo. Lo stile di Cussler è molto scorrevole anche se diversi pezzi della trama risultano non troppo credibili. Ma andrò avanti con la serie.

roseblanchard's review against another edition

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adventurous 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

4.5

alastair3's review against another edition

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fast-paced

2.25

A decent story with no identity

fat_girl_fiction's review against another edition

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3.0

Blue Gold by Clive Cussler

I'm a massive fan of Clive Cussler and all his works, especially Dirk Pitt, Kurt Austin and the new Isaac Bell stories. As expected, Blue Gold is a great addition to the collection. The story features Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala, a recent addition to Cussler's world. It's classic Cussler, spans over years and is full of action and adventure.

vermidian's review against another edition

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3.0

I didn't enjoy this one as much as Serpent. As a whole, it seemed too disjointed and unlikely to be really believable.
SpoilerConsidering it was a global water take over, I find it very hard to believe that only one American newspaper took notice of private companies that would have to be linked somewhere on the paperwork. I just didn't buy it.
The main villain could also have used some work.
SpoilerShe was tall and bullied so she decided to control the world's water supply to show that she was truly powerful? Really? Nothing deeper than that? Sure, she wants to recreate the world to be a better place, but logistically her plan to take over the world wasn't very sound. And considering she had built a dominating network of companies that had bought up all the water in the world, but she only wants to keep the greedy rich people who already dominate the world. If you charge exorbitant prices to the rich for water, they will no longer be rich! And then no one will be able to buy it! And then EVERYONE dies. I just don't think her plan was that well thought out.


All in all, it's another fun Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala adventure story. But I'm hoping that in the next book, maybe they won't have Gamay get kidnapped. You know. For a third time. Twice is a coincidence, three is a pattern.

thereaderofbooks's review against another edition

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2.0

Easy read. Clive Cussler is always good to read when I don't want to think about to much. I do like the Dirk Pitt books better though. Maybe that is because I read those when I was younger?