I really enjoyed this book and as usual, it sent me to the internet to read more about chachapoyan culture and the incas. My only beef is the continued use of both metric and non metric measurements. It's mostly done with parentheses, but at one point dirk says something like, "he was tall...close to seven feet, or 190cm." Like many Americans, I learned the metric system and can do the conversions, but don't have an intuitive sense of how much the measurements are. If you tell me you live two miles south of me, I know exactly where that is, but if you tell me you live 62km away, I have to think about how far that is. Other than that, this may be my favorite dirk pitt book yet.

Though I have to admit......there are some cheesy parts and even cheesier lines.....I still had a DAMN good time reading this.

This was an exciting, funny, and thrilling read from start to finish. I would honestly read about paint drying if Cussler had written about it; the dude had a way of making the most boring scientific information sound fascinating.

While this book does suffer from overuse of deus ex machina and has the typical "male writing voluptuous female" descriptions, it doesn't come off as overly negative. This is an adventure novel. Dirk Pitt, the hero, is ....like a cross between Indiana Jones and James Bond. It has over the top, crazy, action packed violence and witty banter on every page. But the whole damn thing is so entertaining.

Is it the best written thing ever? Probably not. But there's a reason he was such a prolific and popular author.

The book I chose for my May book review was Inca Gold by Clive Cussler. The main character, Dirk Pitt, and his best friend Al Giordino are called on a mission to recue two American archaeologists from a sacrificial pool. This is only the beginning. Behind the plot to kill the archaeologists is a crime family of illegal art and ancient artifact stealers. This family, the Zolars, also want the ancient Chachapoyan treasure. Pitt and Giordino not only have to stop the Zolars, who will kill to get what they want, but also rescue the archaeologists and many others who are captured by the evil syndicates. Amidst all of this, the Zolars have traced their way to over a billion dollars worth of Incan gold. The goal that they have is to smuggle the gold out of Mexico, where it was hidden in a massive cavern under the desert, only accessible by a treacherous underground river. Everything relies on Dirk Pitt, his brains, will, and uncanny ability to survive whatever life-and assassins- throws at him.

I really liked this book. As with the other Clive Cussler books I’ve read starring Dirk Pitt, it was an adventure all the way through. I honestly had trouble putting it down, so thank goodness that we had down time in class so that I could finish the book.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure, daring chases around the world, romance, and even a little mystery. I think that there is something for everyone in this book, and that at some point in their lives, whether it’s now or thirty years from now, everyone should read this book.

Inca Gold is the twelfth book in the Dirk Pitt series by Clive Cussler and the book that introduced me to the Grand Master of Adventure, as Cussler is rightly called. Each book in the series is an independent story and can be read irrespective of the order mentioned. The series follows Dirk Pitt, a marine engineer who often finds himself tangled up in a good mystery and very skillfully escapes the clutches of death every single time.

In Inca Gold, Dirk and his best friend, Al Giordino, attempt to locate a hoard of gold that was hidden by an ancient people, and that vanished five centuries ago, never to be seen again. Deciphering ancient codes that lead to the treasure and trying to defeat a global crime syndicate who are also desperately searching for the treasure—the two are forced to race against the clock while trying to stay alive.

A nail-biting adventure, coupled with thrilling story telling, this book is a treat! Highly recommend it.

[b:Inca Gold|198332|Inca Gold (Dirk Pitt, #12)|Clive Cussler|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1172611303s/198332.jpg|191850] by [a:Clive Cussler|18411|Clive Cussler|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1225620641p2/18411.jpg]
Genres: Mystery, Suspense
5 Solid Stars

This was my #1 top favorite of the Dirk Pitt's series that I read. Alas, it is also the last book of his I read.
Life just got crazy and I often had a hard time finding his books. You have to remember that back in the mid to late 90's, very few people had the internet much less a kindle. When you think about it, it makes it amazing that we can purchase a book and download it and read it all from a computer. You don't have to make special trips to a bookstore or wait for your local library to purchase a book.
It really is magical. And for me, this book was also magical.

The intrigue was top notch. I loved all the characters. The mystery and suspense was amazing for me.

This is also the 1st book my husband and I actually read together. So, a lot to love about this one.