Treasure of Khan

October 9, 2006
Dirk Pitt's 19th adventure, the second collaboration between father and son Clive and Dirk Cussler (after 2004's Black Wind
), offers a plot as credible as it is monstrous and the kind of exotic aquatic detail that amazes, informs and entertains. The action, and there's plenty of it, ranges from Siberia's Lake Baikal and the wilds of Mongolia to the Hawaiian islands. The treasure is that of Genghis and Kublai Khan, the great Mongolian conqueror and his grandson. The villain is a modern-day Mongol with dreams of restoring national power and pride. The heroes are Pitt, sidekick Al Giordino and Pitt's son and daughter, Dirk Jr. and Summer, all affiliated with Pitt's National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA). The exploits of Pitt and company, particularly their narrow escapes, tend toward the larger-than-life, but these are nicely balanced by down-to-earth explanations of such phenomena as seiche waves and oil seeps. 750,000 first printing.

Scott Brick narrates with exacting diction and high energy to propel this thriller from Siberian lakes to the Gobi Desert. Anyone hoping for an airtight plot will be disappointed. But many listeners won't care because the action is warp speed and over-the-top. Scott Brick narrates with the maneuverability of a 1953 Czech JAWA 500 OHC motorcycle--like the very one driven at perilous speeds by hero Dirk Pitt. Facing down the descendants of Genghis Khan, he takes on all comers and surmounts all obstacles as he seeks to uncover the location of the lost treasure of Xanadu before it falls into the hands of a megalomaniac tyrant. What fun! K.A.T. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine


With calm, but rising intensity, Richard Ferrone reads the adventure story of Genghis and Kublai Kahn, a lost tomb, hidden treasure, and undiscovered oil fields in China. Although Ferrone's pacing is careful and understated, and his characterizations incorporate gender differences and ages with vocal nuances, he can't overcome the deficiencies inherent in the book--an unbelievable plot and formulaic writing. Although the story begins with the promise of adventure, it quickly devolves and begins to seem merely repetitive. G.D.W. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine