Rating: 
Summary: Blue Gold
Review: This book is a real let-down in the Clive Cussler series of novels from the NUMA files. The book has a contributing co-author(Paul Kemprecos), and it appears if he wrote the whole book. The main character, Kurt Austin, couldn't lick the boots of Dirk Pitt,Cussler's usual main character..The book is filled with unrealistic escapes from dangerous spots, and there are far too many coincedences to get the characters out of tight spots. The book gets maybe 1 star.
Rating: 
Summary: Blue Gold by Clive Cussler
Review: In Clive Cussler's Blue Gold, five people join up to solve a world wide water conspiracy as they individually share their depictions of what is happening around them. In the book, a billionaire Californian tycoon is poised to rise to power by monopolizing the earth's vastly depleted freshwater reserves and ultimately dominate the world. First, Cussler uses third person limited to show the reader characters' situations through the eyes of another character. Moreover, a young scientist has recently developed a process which she plans to give freely to any and all countries who request her help. Shortly after her breakthrough is publicized, Gogstad, the company owned by the billionaire Californian tycoon, has her "disappear," thus the "White Goddess" legend. Furthermore, Kurt Austin and his close friend José Zavala, are competing in a jet boat race when they suddenly collide with a dead pod of whales sending their boat on a collision course with another. Meanwhile, Paul and Gamay Trout are exploring the Brazilian Rainforest when they come across a dead Indian with some "high-tech gadgets." In addition, Cussler employs flashbacks into the story to demonstrate how each event is connected and to display the characters' thoughts and emotions that event. Cussler includes many different point of views to show each side of the story, whether it be the protagonists', or the antagonists' views.
First, Cussler uses third person limited point of view to show the reader how the events are related through another character. In this case, the young scientist with the water transformation device, is on her way to an international conference when her and her body guard realize that their plane has been hijacked by unknown enemies. In a struggle to retake the craft, the pilot becomes incapacitated, and the plane crashed into the Brazilian Rainforest. She is soon forgotten, until the unexpected arrival of two strangers, the Trouts. The Trouts have been recording river life when they discover a dead Indian floating down the river, with what they concern as "high-tech gadgets." Soon after a daring escape from savages, they joint up with Austin and his partner José, who have been investigating the cause of death of a pod of whales. They soon realize that as soon as they get a lead to the culprit, Gogstad ties up some "lose-ends." While it is mostly a game of cat and mouse for most of the story, the NUMA team finally succeeds, and the Gogstad company swiftly deteriorates.
Cussler uses an excellent mix of fact and fiction as the story unfolds. Cussler also uses breathtaking events to keep the reader interested throughout the entire story. Examples of these are scenes such as the underwater facility of the Mexican coast exploding, which then turns up a barrel registered for a "phantom plane." Yet another example is when Kurt and José fly the "phantom plane" into Nome, Alaska as an attempt to escape a group of highly trained assigns. Cussler never leaves a slow moment last to long before another explosion occurs sending the readers into "aw." Cussler also employs the flashback device to communicate to the reader what internal issues the characters' are dealing with, and also how certain events are connected. For example, Kurt quickly realizes that the same helicopter that they witnessed takeout a possible link connecting Gogstad to the underwater facility also. The flashback device is also used to show that the billionaire Californian tycoon is so obsessed with dominating the world because of her strong ancestral ties with Vikings.
Clearly, Cussler writes to show how dangerous the companies who hide in the shadows are, and what they will do to do what they want. Cussler used third person limited to show the reader how the events are seen through the eyes of another character. He also uses the flashback device to show the reader the characters' own internal conflicts, and also how events are related. This novel is a compelling, well-written, and interesting work of literature.
Rating: 
Summary: Not his best but still readable!
Review: The beginning was great I was hooked. the ending let me down though.
Rating:
Summary: Same old dinosaur--God Bless him!
Review: Thoughout his career, Clive Cussler has given us villains mostly in the Dr. No or Goldfinger mode--mercantile tycoon types who pull some sort of mega-holdup that endangers the world. And this continues, despite the success of efforts like "The X Files", which articulate the current trendy view that Government--an Orwellian "Big Brother"--is the Antichrist. Corporate America is never--repeat--NEVER the bad guy (whatta you, some kinda Red?) except for Bill Gates--he's fair game because he's a nerd. But Cussler still sticks to his Superbad Guys, and as such, makes it clear that he still loves his country. That the weenies who gave us "The X Files" still do is not so clear. In this book, we have a Nordic Valkyrie who's planning up to exploit the growing water shortage and setting up an aqua-OPEC to gouge the thirsty. If you can afford it, bottoms up. If not, you die of thirst. What delicious evil in an age when the "proper term" for evil people is "dysfunctional"! In this time of ambiguities and moral and philosphical relativism, I LOVE an author who calls a spade a spade! To paraphrase 1960s country/ comic singer Larry Verne; "please Mr. Cussler...don'tcha ever go!"
Rating: 
Summary: Kurt just couldn't hack it
Review: Blue Gold is a book that attempts to be a Dirk Pitt novel with all of the actions and explosions, yet the title characters just don't have the development and attitudes to carry the book through to the end. Possibly, if Cussler attempts to continue the series, this character development will arrive, but if you are interested in a Dirk Pitt book, this is not one, or even like one. Stick to the classic over the top attituedes of Al G. and Dirk.
Rating:
Summary: Good as Gold
Review: This is the first Kurt Austin book I've read and it was great! It's some of Cussler's greatest work and in my opinion a hell of a lot more fun than going and seeing some plotless summer action movie. It's setting are great, the villain and her to two henchman are very creative, and the main characters, Kurt and Joe, are almost if not just as good as Dirk Pitt. Kurt is more of a normal guy, not superhuman like Pitt. The plot is not as outrageous as some of his other books and it's got a great ending. The only downside to this book is that it's way too short!! I could have read this book for weeks.
Rating:
Summary: Just like their big brothers, Dirk and Al.
Review: Shadowy Gogstad Corporation is quietly taking control of all the fresh water on earth. Once they have control they will be able to drive up the prices to the point that only the rich nations of the world will be able to afford water. In the ensuing chaos Gogstad expects to step in and control whole countries, and finally, the world. However, they hadn't counted on running into Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala. It begins with a boat race off of San Diego but before the intrepid pair is through (with help from other NUMA personnel) Austin and Zavala will have tracked Gogstad from Mexico to the Amazon River and to the final showdown on Lake Tahoe.This is another slam-bang action novel that Cussler has become famous for. As other reviewers have written, you have to suspend disbelief but once you do it's a fun read. Reminds me of the Saturday matinee cliffhangers of days gone by. If you're already a Dirk Pitt fan you'll like this new series. My only quibble with this new series is why? As far as I can see the adventures and adventurers are identical to the Dirk Pitt novels. Austin and Pitt are completely interchangeable. Why not just write some new Dirk Pitt novels? I imagine the answer to that is that Clive Cussler wants to cut back on writing and yet keep the revenue stream going so he's farmed this series out to Paul Kemprecos. It would have been nice if he would have made the main characters somewhat different though.
Rating:
Summary: AN EXCITING ADVENTURE
Review: Kurt and Joe are back and in fine form in this newest Numa Files thriller. A 7 foot female megalomaniac tries to take over the worlds water supply. Paul and Gamay are trapped in the jungles of South America. Kurt and Joe hurtle to possible doom in a power boat. This book is non-stop action as Clive Cussler and Paul Kemprecos take the reader on a trip around the world. For action thrillers you can't beat Cussler.
Rating:
Summary: 5-GOLD Stars for Kurt Austin's 2nd Adventure
Review: A Cussler adventure is ALWAYS welcome to me, whether it features Dirk Pitt or now, Kurt Austin...and Cussler has EARNED that opinion from me by finding a co-writer in Paul Kemprecos who knows how he thinks, and has mastered Cussler's trademark 'style' of adventure writing to a 'T'. When I first saw 'Serpent' I was skeptical to say the least, but after a couple of pages, it was apparent that the 'action-magic' was definitely on overdrive and it made for an amazingly fun story virtually on par with almost any of Pitt's exploits. Now comes Austin's 2nd literary adventure, and I am happy to say that everything which made 'Serpent' fun and entirely worth reading is found in the pages of 'Blue Gold'. From the jungles of the Amazon to an underwater explosion off the coast of Mexico to a very tall woman who has her sights set on controlling the virtual bulk of the world's drinking water, thus placing most of the world at her mercy. 'Blue Gold' has something rare for a Cussler story: the bad guy is a GIRL. But don't let that fool you into thinking she is all bark and no bite...nope. She packs a whallup, that's for sure. Between Kurt and his Giordino-sidekick/clone, Joe Zavala, they manage to become central figures to the problems facing Mother Earth, and due to their quick thinking and all around knack for being in the right place at the right time, they end up saving us all without us none the wiser. Some have been faulting Cussler and Kemprecos for using a tried-and-true formula that has paid off in multiple back-to-back bestsellers over the years, but I for one welcome it all and look forward to Kurt & Joe's next adventure eagerly. Face it, if you can manage to substitute Dirk Pitt for Kurt Austin and Al for Joe as you read 'Blue Gold' you would be hard pressed to tell the difference, and with that in mind, just remember: if you are a fan of Pitt, do yourself a favor and get to know the other side of the NUMA coin, and soon you too will be singing the praises of Kurt Austin. A fine thrill-a-minute-seat-of-your-pants story that deserves to become every bit as popular as Dirk's exploits.
Rating:
Summary: Still Thrilling
Review: Blue Gold reminded me a great deal of Shock Wave. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Great action, great storyline, and an overall great read. Kurt and Joe are awsome.
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