Treasure of Khan is Clive Cussler’s 19th Dirk Pitt adventure and the second co-written with his son, Dirk Cussler. Dirk Pitt is Cussler’s answer to Ian Fleming’s James Bond. Pitt, now the Director of NUMA (National Underwater and Marine Agency), is often embroiled in the battle against megalomaniacs who are trying to take over the world in one way or another. Pitt, usually with his sidekick, Al Giordino, often finds himself in danger, only to successfully defeat the bad guys. As Pitt and Giordino age, Pitt’s two children, Summer and Dirk, more and more take their father’s place.In the latest adventure, the world oil markets come under attack. The destruction of two oil exporting stations causes a world-wide panic and extremely dire circumstances for China. A small Mongolian company, the Avarga Oil Consortium, has amassed the tools needed to induce surface earthquakes through fault lines. Using the equipment to cause shockwaves, Avarga and its chairman, Tolgoi Borjin, causes China to cede Inner Mongolia back to Mongolia, along with a fixed price per barrel of oil in order to supply China’s oil needs. However, to no surprise, Avarga doesn’t actually have the oil to supply China, although Avarga knows where the oil is. By destroying the oil-exporting stations to cripple China, Borjin and his family are attempting to restore the glory of both Genghis and Kublai Khan to Mongolia.The more pivotal connection with Genghis Khan comes from the fact that Borjin’s father while on an archeological expedition in the 1937 discovers a relic that leads to the discovery of the Great Khan’s hidden tomb. The artifacts and relics found in the tomb are sold to finance Avarga’s purchase of scientific expertise and technology.Pitt and Giordino become involved while doing a survey of Lake Baikal. An earthquake causes a seiche wave, similar to a tsunami, to pass through the lake. In trying to rescue an unresponsive ship (which is part of Avarga), Pitt, et. al. wind up nearly drowned and attacked. A crew of scientists disappears and Pitt goes after them, eventually stumbling upon the Avarga plot.The Dirk Pitt novels are always a fun read. Not only do they have their share of action and adventure, but the historical details are fascinating. This novel is no different. This time the reader learns some of the times and culture of the Mongols in the late 1200s. I easily recommend this latest edition to the series. And as Cussler has done in the more recent novels, he appears as a small but important cog to the survival of Pitt and the furtherance of the plot. This time he’s a bus driver in the Gobi Desert.
19th Adventure of Dirk PittDirk Pitt with his sidekick Al Giordino takes us on another wild adventure, a mystery spanning from Siberia to Mongolia.Cussler opens in his customary prologue, starting in Hakata Bay, Japan 1281 to Shang-Tu, China 1937 and from there things unfold at a fast pace to lake Baikal Siberia 2007.While surveying for oil seepage a team of geophysicists are caught in the aftermath of a massive earthquake and subsequent seiche... What appears to be a simple act of nature, triggers further investigation...From there, we embark on a wild and never ending ride.While Dirk Pitt and his teammate Al Giordino are tracking the lake's currents, they are nearly killed. Our heroes set out on the trail to find the mysterious mogul behind this sinister plot.... The adventure is full of intrigue as they face one peril after another and in typical Cussler fashion, they encounter an army of trained warriors and obstacles, naturally, they manage to outwit everyone....The action is rolling on every page with surprises, lots of history, implausible bravado and close calls of his heroes. The story is just plain fun and enjoyable, you find everything you come to expect from a Clive Cussler's novel. Not only we have the familiar cast of lovable characters in Dirk and Al and some villains to hate, we find Summer and Dirk Jr as supporting characters in some very tight and exciting situations.Cussler is a master at delivering the unimaginable, a mind controlling fantasy, the ultimate ride to the end.
What do You think about Treasure Of Khan (2006)?
This book is a little more chaotic than what at this point should be regarded as "old school Cussler" - that is, before he was co-writing novels with other people. In this case, the co-author is his son, Dirk. Add in the fact that there's a son Dirk in the novel, as well, and you're forgiven for feeling like you might need a flow-chart to keep everything, and everyone, straight.This particular novel follows the traditional format of a Dirk Pitt (senior) novel: begin with a historical setting to establish the underlying mystery of the novel before fast-forwarding to the present day, where mystery, murder and mayhem form around Dirk Pitt, who must ultimately save the day. There are chapters devoted to classical Bad Guy Tropes (the sort who, in the 80s, regardless of skin colour or origin, would have either had a German or English accent), and an additional split into the world of Dirk Pitt (junior) and Summer, the twin siblings who were, in a past novel, reunited with their unsuspecting father.The downside of the addition of Summer and Dirk Junior is that it takes time away from the more established characters of Dirk Senior, Al, Rudi, Sandecker, etc. But the time taken away from the Bad Guys also hurts - there are times when all that's missing from the very basic and stereotypical Bad Guy Portrayal is a twirled mustache.Cussler is definitely a master of the form of this kind of historical action-adventure mystery, and going off into China and Mongolia for the latest adventure, as well as hooking into growing concerns over power and oil and production, is a wise choice to remain contemporary and relevant. However, in an era where the next generation of historical action-adventure authors are writing - fantastic authors like James Rollins, Steve Berry and Raymond Khoury - Cussler's age and flaws are starting to show.Worthwhile for the diehard Cussler fan to read, but be prepared for an average plot that is becoming paint-by-numbers; this is not a place to look for innovation in the genre or form.
—Kelly
SOME of the storyline seemed vaguely reminiscent of 'Sahara' only this time Dirk and Al instead of being trapped in the African desert, they find themselves lost in the Gobi. Other than that, everything else was as original as one could hope to expect from the Grand Master of Adventure Fiction, and now his son. We learn along the way about Seiche Waves and how one may conceivably trigger one on purpose. The entire plot and the association between Khan, his descendents and the oil industry makes for some compelling reading...plus I felt that after I finished the book I had learned a few things along the way.
—Teo Hoppe
A Dirk Pitt adventure is like a visit from an old friend! Fun, easy, and over way too fast. After a few novels focused around Dirk's children the 19th Pitt novel is a return to the classic format with Dirk and his friend Al dominating the narrative with a globe trotting adventure. This one is focused on finding the tombs of Genghis and Kublai Khan. Cussler novel reviews tend to highlight the formulaic style of the books as a criticism. I see this as a positive in the style of some of the great works of fiction. The Sherlock Holmes canon being the primary example that comes to mind, or Law and Order of more recent years. The formula is the same every time with the creativity coming in the details and new characters. Just make sure you start with the early books. Being dropped into this universe at novel 19 won't make any sense.
—Sean Wylie
