Inca gold

Inca Gold is one of my favorite Dirk Pitt books. The beginning of the book is starts with divers being rescued from a sinkhole in Peru. The mystery gets interesting because when Pitt goes out on a trail for treasure, including the golden bodysuit of Tiapollo. Pitt's then girlfriend, [Congresswoman] Loren Smith, is a secondary role.

One of the challenges any author in this genre faces is overcoming an inherent lack of suspense. Heroes like Dirk Pitt always survive, always win out in the end, and the girl is almost always ready and willing. Too much emphasis on the "bad guy" is not a good investment because we know he (or she) is going to lose in the end.

The better authors in the genre overcome this obstacle by weaving a fascinating back-story, a multi-layered mystery with the elements doled out in savory bites, and putting the hero in well-crafted settings. These techniques help draw the reader into the tale and overcome the initial lack of suspense and presumption of success.

What Cussler does particularly well in Inca Gold is spin a fascinating back-story with a variety of historical and archaeological elements. I'm personally biased in favor of the adventure-thriller that is heavy on both. The fast-paced techno-thriller is fine, but I tend to grow bored if there's not enough to engage my mind. In this story, we have Inca legend, Francis Drake and evil art/artifact smugglers and forgers.

Cussler also adds some nice twists to the search. It's more than a linear, "shoot my way through the bad guys" sort of plot. Pitt and his friends actually have to use their brains a few times and Pitt’s perilous trek down an underground river is compelling and entertaining.

Inca Gold ranks #2 on my list of Cussler faves and is a terrific introduction to Dirk Pitt if you've never read any of his adventures. It's also one of the Cussler novels I actually own in hardback.

The time I felt special was when I went to go see Pit bull.

I was the star student I did all my work I was quiet. So I got a reward meeting Pit Bull. Me and some more students were pulled out of our class. We were sent into the library tension was in the air. Omg! I was going to see Pit Bull!!!!!! When it was time to go all I saw was a huge crowd of students of each side of me screaming and clapping. I felt in the spot light and so special ,and the cool the is I got to ride in a streached hummer!!!!!!!

That was definetly a special moment for me and every one who went there.