Book Review: The Navigator by Clive Cussler and Paul Kemprec

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Book Review: The Navigator by Clive Cussler and Paul Kemprecos

As our friend Haiwailaohua pointed out, we need to do some writing of our own. I have recently been reading a novel, "The Navigator", authored by Clive Cussler and Paul Kemprecos. These two gentlemen are award-winning authors. If you are interested in their backgrounds, please go to the following links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clive_Cussler and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Kemprecos and read their biographies.

First, I would like to make an acknowledgement. Years ago, I was trying to pique my older son's interest in reading; I offered him some of my books in order to jump-start his book-reading journey. My son refused my offer and wrote his own book list. Among others, Clive Cussler's maritime adventure novels were part of the list. I was hooked on them ever since.

One of the reason I like Mr. Cussler's literary work is that most of his adventure novels start with an ancient event or historic episode then lead to current time where a larger-than-life hero steps in and saves the day. Mr. Cussler and his co-author prefer extravagant fanfare and outrageous plot devices, injecting electrifying thrill ride for the readers.

"The Navigator", as expected, is not an exception from Mr. Cussler's classic style, the story begins with in 900 B.C., where a Phoenician boat lands in what we later learn to be the Chesapeake Bay and one of King Solomon's sons hides the Ark. In 1809, Thomas Jefferson is given a vellum that provides a map to the Ark. In the present time, the looting of antiquities from the Baghdad National Museum during the American invasion of Iraq, an ancient Phoenician statue known as the Navigator was stolen from the Museum, and there are men who would do anything to get their hands on it. Their first victim is a crooked antiquities dealer, murdered in cold blood. Their second one, very nearly, is a UN investigator who, were it not for the timely assistance of Austin and Zavala, would now be at the bottom of a watery grave. The attractive UN investigator, Carina Mechadi, and artifacts she recovered from a corrupt Egyptian official, including the "Navigator," a bronze statue, which, we learn later, has a map to the Lost Ark. Goons who work for a mysterious Spanish multi-millionaire, Balthazar, had disabled a ship to steal the Navigator, but Austin and Zavala foil their plan.

What fascinates me is that the authors are able to produce another version of the well-known historical myths "King Solomon's hidden treasure" with action-packed exploits that take place in high seas and underwater locations. As we know, this type of events normally comes about in caves or underground tunnels, and seldom goes down in underwater locations. Nevertheless, the authors are able to contrive the story in an ingenuous fashion that channels their readers' attention to Cussler's standard fare. I must applaud authors' abilities to keep readers turning pages while, at the same time, delivering the idea of Phoenicians being the first to visit North America. This book reminds me about another Cussler novel, "Valhalla Rising", where another hero, Dirk Pitt, also unravels the work of a brilliant, reclusive scientist who had made great advances in oil technology, traced the history and found the remains of a Viking settlement on the Hudson River.

I don't take a novel's plot seriously, no matter how outrageous it might be; I usually ignore author's insensitivity toward Chinese with one maybe two exceptions. I don't wear my heart on my sleeve, or I wouldn't be able to read some of the great novels if I deem their authors anti-Chinese. I encourage my cyberspace friends to share your book reviews with us. As a matter of fact, you are welcome to share anything that you find it interesting. Of course, your input is appreciated.