Sam and Remi Fargo return in this astonishing new thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Clive Cussler—and embark on their most daring quest to date.
When an archeologist friend requests their help to excavate a top-secret historical site, the Fargos are intrigued. But they have no idea that their discoveries will set them on a hunt for a prize beyond all imagination.
The clues point to the hidden tomb of Attila the Hun, who was reportedly buried with a vast fortune of gold, jewels, and plunder: a bounty that has never been found.
As they follow a trail throughout Europe, it leads them not to one tomb, but five. The Fargos also find themselves pitted against a thieving group of treasure hunters, a cunning Russian businessman, and a ruthless Hungarian who claims direct descent from Attila himself—and will stop at nothing to achieve his destiny…
Review:
So at the end of last summer I first decided to give Clive Cussler a try, and read the first book in his Fargo Adventures - Spartan Gold. With that, I was hooked. I loved Spartan Gold, and the following books in the series, Lost Empire and The Kingdom. They were fast paced, fairly intense, good ol' rollicking treasure hunt adventures reminiscent of Indiana Jones or National Treasure. So, how does The Tombs - the fourth book in the series - stack up? Time to find out...
I'm going to say right off the bat that yes, it does. Although I'd have to say Spartan Gold is still the best book in the series, The Tombs definitely comes in second place. It's fast paced, and actually gets more intense than any of the previous books. It also explores a part of history that you don't really learn much about in school - the rise of the Huns and the twilight of the Roman Empire. This makes it extra interesting because I always find it really exciting to learn about parts of history that I hadn't before (not to mention I'd heard of Attila the Hun in Night at the Museum and since have wondered who exactly he was and what made him so important). Characteristically of the rest of the books in the series, The Tombs are also free of verbal obscenity and sex scenes. Why is this a benefit? I've found that sex scenes often mean going on a tangent/taking a break from the plot of a suspense novel, killing the intensity. Clive Cussler himself once said that "sex kills suspense". As for swearing, too much jarring language can also prevent one from being able to totally engage in the plot, making for a less fun read. Unfortunately, though, this book isn't perfect...
First and foremost, the characters are all very caricatured. As a result, they aren't especially deep or incredibly well developed, although throughout the series one does get to know Sam and Remi fairly well. Regardless, the villains are evil (and a little dumb) at almost comic book levels - which can get a tad cheesy on occasion.
Secondly, the plot takes a few turns that can throw one for a loop, not to mention some of the history is a little confusing unless someone already has a basic understanding of Attila the Hun (don't let that turn you away though, this is a really good read). Also, the climax doesn't take place when the final treasure is found, which is good in that it breaks from the formula set by the previous books but bad in that it makes the book a bit anticlimactic.
Finally, Cussler always makes a cameo appearance in these books. It's minor, but to me its an annoying gimmick which takes away from the realism of the book.
In any event, this is a really fun book by a bestselling author that can actually write fairly well (unlike James Patterson). Highly recommended to lovers of history or suspense, or fans of Indiana Jones, National Treasure, or any other kind of good ol' treasure hunt!
4.5/5 stars
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