Rating: 
Summary: NUMA saves the world................................again!
Review: Blue Gold is typical Clive Cussler fare, with operatives from NUMA saving the world from another megalomaniac. Even though the formula is monotonous, I still read every one of Cussler's books. The characters have changed somewhat. Dirk Pitt and Al Giordono are replaced by Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala. Trust me only the names change. Austin and Zavala are just as adept in extricating themselves from every conceivable difficulty thrown their way.In this tale our heroes have to thwart a plot to seize the world's fresh water supply which will then be sold to the highest bidders. This would be enhanced by the stealing of a revolutionary desalinating process which could spoil the plot hatched by villainess Brynhild Sigurd, head of a huge corporate conglomerate. The book is fast paced as is usual for Cussler. I'm curious exactly what Paul Kemprecos has added because I don't notice any difference from Cussler's usual style.
Rating: 
Summary: Austin and Zavala versus the Giant Water Queen?
Review: Cussler and Kemprecos team up for a second time to tell us about the newest action heroes on the block, Austin and Zavala. These new characters were first introduced in the novel "Serpent" and like their predecessors, (the famous Dirk Pitt and Al Giordino) they are seemingly super-human and unstoppable. A male chauvanist's nightmare, Brynhild Sigmund (a world dominating, seven foot tall woman with a brain) is plotting to totally control fresh water supplies across the world, providing it to only those who can afford the luxury of this "blue gold." To assure her position of power, she must perfect a miraculous water desalination process aided by a rare chemical element. Austin and Zavala race against the clock to save the world from certain doom, and capture the heart of the fairest of fair maidens in the process. Sound corny? You're right, it is. But dear reader must recall that this book was not read in hopes of calling it "The Feel Good Story of the Year." It just provided a dose of outlandish adventure that everyone needs once in a while. All we engineers who read this story will remember that the "Law of Conservation of Energy" will immediately contradict the explanation that the authors provide of this miraculous desalination process. Cussler and Kemprecos seem to be getting the hang of working together. "Blue Gold" makes for the second in the series of Austin and Zavala adventures and seems much improved since their initial creation. We've got to cut the duo some slack, since we will recall that Cussler's first creation in the Dirk Pitt adventures had its flaws, as well. Practice makes perfect... so I expect that the next novel (and there darn well BETTER be a "next" novel!) will be even better! I only hope that it is published in a hardbound format. These paper back editions don't seem to hold up to being read over and over as I'm sure you will do!
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Summary: new heroes, same story
Review: A beautiful female scientist has found the secret of a process to produce drinking water from seawater, but the leader of an imperium that controls the world's water supplies wants to get her out of the way. She ends up in the Amazonian jungle, where she is found by two of Kurt's colleagues. In the meantime Kurt and Joe try to solve the death of a group of whales before the coast of Mexico. Soon they find out that their quest is related to that of their colleagues. Their explorations bring them from Mexico to Alaska and then to the shores of Lake Tahoe, where they stop the impending global disaster only a few days before it is due to happen. Here is your recipe for the 21st century's books by Clive Cussler: replace Dirk Pitt and Al Giordino by Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala, Dirk's love for old cars by Kurt's love for duelling pistols and let the rest of the ingredients be the same: NUMA, the wisecracks, the superhuman efforts, the beautiful ladies and the megalomanic villain that wants to rule the world. Normally speaking such changes irritate me, but Kurt and Joe are so much like Dirk and Al that one hardly notices the difference. And all in all it is just a nice action thriller to read on a warm summer's day (or a long winter night).
Rating:
Summary: Getting better but not near a "Dirk Pitt adventure"
Review: This book is a definite improvement on the first Kurt Austin/NUMA series. The subplots are more exciting and there is more banter between Kurt & Joe, but the story just did not have the Clive Cussler "hang on by your fingernails" type of action to it. The rescues (every Cussler book has them) were mostly unexciting and dull. The ending (was bad). Kurt did not really do anything, one of the lesser characters "saved the world" with Kurt & gang just going along for the ride. A major let down. I think that the problem with this new Kurt Austin series is that the author (co-author?) tries too hard to treat the 2 NUMA groups (Kurt Austin/Joe & Paul Trout/Gamy) equally. Giving them both adventure subplots with Kurt Austin not getting enough attention, the result being that he does not come off the "hero" as Dirk Pitt does. Either drop the Paul/Gamy major subplot lines or tone them down, and beef up Kurt & Joes involvment. The endings just don't have Kurt Austin bashing the bad guys/women like Cusslers Dirk Pitt books do. I know that Cussler has said that his Dirk Pitt books are becoming harder to write and may be why he brought in co-writer Kemprecos. I hope Cussler dumps Kemprecos, and focuses his efforts on pure Dirk Pitt books from now on. One well written Cussler Dirk Pitt book is worth five Cussler/Klemprecos "Kurt Austin" books.
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Summary: BLUE GOLD - Swashbuckler series gets better
Review: The second novel in the new Kurt Austin series, BLUE GOLD, shows signs of developing into a strong understudy to the swashbuckler Dirk Pitt books that so many of us have come to enjoy from Clive Cussler over the last two decades. This second installment opens with a boat race that ends almost tragically in the wake of several dead gray whales. Speeding along at more than 100 knots, Kurt, and his fearless sidekick, Joe Zavala, use their ingenuity to escape a near-death collision. Almost immediately the NUMA boys set out to discover the mystery of the dead mammals. Solving the puzzle takes Kurt and Joe, and others of the NUMA team, searching for clues in the rain forests of Venezuela, the outback of Alaska, and the shores of Lake Tahoe. Each scene is exciting from start to finish, with the usual suave, clever and heroic personalities prevailing over the bad guys. After reading SERPENT, the first Kurt Austin novel that Mr. Cussler wrote with Paul Kemprecos, I was hesitant to read BLUE GOLD. SERPENT was a far cry from the NUMA tales Cussler fans have enjoyed. But BLUE GOLD is a giant step forward and definitely worth reading while we wait for the return of Dirk and Al Giordino, the other NUMA heroes, who will save the world again from the next batch of power-hungry villains.
Rating: 
Summary: Tarnished
Review: Unlike the Dirk Pitt series, the adventures of Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala in "Blue Gold" are not only well-worn but highly improbable. Granted, the Dirk Pitt series isn't realistic, but the plot was belted out with such panache and humor that a good read was guaranteed. The same cannot be said, however, for Kurt Austin in Blue Gold. Rarely suspenseful or even exciting, Blue Gold is at best a cure cure for insomnia- definitely not comparable with the sterling Dirk Pitt collection.
Rating:
Summary: Cussler's Other Hero
Review: Kirk Austin's second adventure doesn't compare to the worst of Dirk Pitt's (Vahalla Rising). This series is strictly for die-hard Cussler-ites only, who can't wait for the next Dirk Pitt adventure.
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Summary: Brittany's Book Review
Review: Blue Gold is great book by Clive Cussler and Paul Kemprecos. The main character is Kurt Austin instead of Dirk Pitt. A company is trying to control all of the Wolrd's water supply while the Trouts are trying to solve the mystery of the lost tribe in the rainforest. They found a long lost scientist that created a desalting process. It had a great ending. If you like adventure than this book is for you. Other Clive Cussler books are great too.
Rating: 
Summary: Pass on this one
Review: I have read all of Clive Cussler's books and loved every one of them. Very entertaining light action adventure that is perfect for long boring airplane rides. I was looking forward to going on a new adventure with Dirk Pitt in Blue Gold, but what I got instead was [weak]imitation of the real thing. You may think I'm being too cynical, but some how I can't help thinking that collaborations like this are just a publishers way of pushing sub par writing by riding on the coattails of a well known and respected author. I can't blame Clive Cussler for trying to find ways to increase the income stream, after all, it's the American way. Maybe he even enjoys doing a collaboration. Whatever his motivations, I am not appreciative and feel cheated.
Rating:
Summary: Quite enjoyable IF...
Review: ...you bear in mind that this is NOT a Dirk Pitt book, and everything happening here is set on a much smaller scale. Blue Gold clearly lacks the flair of Dr. Cussler's mainstream franchise, so don't expect that this novel will wow you like Pitt. Some parts are simply silly (like the henchmen twins), but then again, if you treat it as light entertainmnet, Blue Gold is a nice way to spend a weekend.
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