Inhoud: Ergens op de bodem van de Atlantische Oceaan liggen de schamele resten van het luxe passagiersschip de Andrea Doria. Maar zeer weinigen weten dat er zich in het ruim een onbetaalbare schat uit de pre-Colombiaanse oudheid bevindt - de ontbrekende schakel in de geschiedenis van de mensheid.Kurt Austin is de moedige leider van het NUMA-ontdekkingsteam (National Underwater & Marine Agency. Hij vaart met zijn schip de Nereus voor de kust van Marokko en redt een aantrekkelijke archeologe van de verdrinkingsdood.Nina Kirov blijkt de enige overlevende van haar expeditie. Alle overige leden zijn door terroristen vermoord. Nina heeft geen flauw idee waarom. Of heeft het zojuist door haar opgedoken beeldhouwwerk ermee te maken?Het spoor leidt naar een machtige industrieel uit Texas. Zijn meesterplan om een revolutie te ontketenen in Zuidwest-Amerika kost zoveel geld dat hij nergens voor terugdeinst. Op een golf van dood en vernietiging elimineert hij allen die hem in de weg staan. Kurt en Nina moeten deze samenzwering onthullen voor het te laat is.En achter de stille, stalen scheepsromp van de Andrea Doria ligt misschien de oplossing...---Waardering:Drie sterren voor de schrijfstijl en het verhaal. Afgaande op de laatst gelezen boeken is het een goed verhaal, maar ik zal het toch een keer opnieuw moeten lezen voor ik een duidelijke waardering kan geven.---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/Interview...---Overige boekinformatie:Uitgeverij: Areopagus ISBN: 90.5108.334.3384 pagina's
Meh. Think there's a reason why I haven't picked up one of his books for at least 5 years. In my defense, I was on vacation and finished the books that I had brought along and this 'novel' was one of the only reasonably good choices available at the hotel gift shop. At one time in my life, I thoroughly enjoyed the Dirk Pitt series of books from Cussler. Sort of a modern swash-buckling adventurer who always knows the right thing to do, the right thing to say and always gets the girl and the villain in the end. While this was not a Pitt novel per se (although he does show up early on...), the same formulaic approach applies - historical event, usually the sinking of some type of floating object, shift to modern times and the emergence of some villain affecting random person while the protagonists (Kurt Austin and his crew in this case) just happen to be close by. Story progresses and more amazing discoveries are learned, the villain intensifies action and the action is cleanly wrapped up in the end, again, with crazy discovery of historical event object that has been underwater for 100s of years. I guess maybe I've just tired of this formula but also noticed an increased discomfort with the dialogue - nobody I've ever heard talks like any of the people in this book. Oh well, bottom line, I guess I'd recommend this book if you were stuck at a hotel with no other reading materials and this was the only choice at the hotel gift shop. Other than that, probably best to leave this alone and if you really must read Cussler, try to locate some of his earlier, fresher Dirk Pitt efforts.Cheers.
This is a seriously convoluted tale revolving around the Spanish mafia from Christopher Columbus's time and the Mayan culture. Two things that really shouldn't have anything to do with each other. Did Columbus really discover America? That is the ultimate question and if not, who did? And why are archeologists being killed when they find certain types of artifacts. A skillfully woven tale that is wholly believeable. The death defying adventures, the life threatening artifact thieves and the underwater (of course) adventures. Just a wonderful roller coaster of a ride. Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala are great characters who really can think on their feet...er, flippers.
—Barbara ★
The first book in the Kurt Austin series. Basically another Dirk Pitt but he has different physical features. With Pitt and Austin on the case, it's a wonder there are any mysteries left in the world. This one tackles Columbus and the discovery of the Americas. Apparently, the Phoenicians were here before Columbus (but after the Chinese?). While Rome was attacking Carthage, the Phoenicians boxed up their valuables and stored them with the Maya. Or something like that. Austin and company are on the case after rescuing a pretty archaeologist from certain death at the hands of "the Brotherhood", a secret society committed to crushing any hint there was contact with the Americas before Columbus. But Mr Halcon, the new leader of the brotherhood, has changed the mission of the Brotherhood - they now wish to reclaim the stolen parts of the United States and form a new nation. And Halcon needs the Phoenician treasure to fund his operation. The Andrea Doria is brought into the story as its sunken hold contains the artifact that ties everything together. A fast read but, as with many Clive Cussler novels, a quick wrap up of events. I also don't understand the apparent disregard some of the characters have for archaeological sites. Austin and Zavala, his trusty sidekick, try to pry open a sarcophagus with spears and walk all over a Phoenician ship. Ok, it's fiction but is this how the heroes are supposed to act? They then contribute to the flooding of the pyramid holding these artifacts - a plan, apparently, thought of ahead of time by Austin. How does this flooding affect the ship and Columbus' body? Very un-hero like, I think.
—Andy
This is my first Kirk Austin book and I'm not a fan of him. He is reactive not proactive, goes into situations unprepared, and in my opinion lacks common sense. For example, Kirk knows he's going up against a villan with an army and a plethora of weapons, yet Kirk doesn't bring any weapons and then proceeds to wonder how he's going to get himself out of the situation with no weapons. Kirk lacks the survival instict that Dirk Pitt and Isaac Bell have, that makes it believable that they can experience these extraordinary events and not only survive but be a hero. I think Kirk only survives because he's lucky and the villains aren't the brightest. Other than Kirk, I enjoyed the other NUMA charaters. The character development was superb. The villainous characters were slightly underdeveloped, specifically their motivations. The motivations that were given are only topical and lack the substance necessary to be believable. I was also confused by the main villain's mannerisms to his second-in-charge. The mannerisms sometimes clashed and sent mixed signals, and I don't think it was done on purpose. So far this is my least favorite Clive Cussler book.
—Dana
