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Apr 15, 2011

Yvann rated it:

Summary: Kurt Austin has just signed up to lasso icebergs when he has to rescue a hijacked ship. He ends up protecting a feisty Italian antiquities expert while they try to figure out if it's possible that the Phoenicians reached America.

Ah, nothing like a good adventure chasing down ancient treasure and bad guys at the same time.

This was my first Clive Cussler and it will not be my last. While all the terrible (but funny) features of this kind of book were liberally sprinkl More...

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Jan 10, 2009

Karyn rated it:

The plot:
Ancient treasure -girl in need of saving - Kirk to the rescue in outrageous fashion - slowly unravelling plot to put world in chaos - Kirk to the rescue.

Most Clive Cussler Novels begin with a story set hundreds of years ago about lost civilisations and hidden treasures to then fast forward to one of his can-do-nothing-wrong Heroes in the present day.

And that's one of the reasons i like reading these books.There's always a bit of history involved and referen More...

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Apr 23, 2009

Kent rated it:

Kurt Austin takes time from lassoing giant icebergs to save the world again in The Navigator by Clive Cussler. This time it involves a Phoenician statue that has ties to King Solomon and stolen out of the museums of Iran during the beginnings of the US occupation. Apparently, the Phoenicians were the first visitors to the North American continent, given their maritime navigational skills. Later on, the treasure appears and while being delivered to Thomas Jefferson, Meriwether Lewis is murdered. More...

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Aug 20, 2008

Geri rated it:

I love Clive Cussler books, they're wild, adventurous, a little history mixed with fiction and just fun! I was excited about this one, because I heard it talked about my stomping grounds on the Chesapeake Bay and Havre de Grace. It didn't disappoint. If you are looking for a fun adventure this is the book for you. Just keep in mind, sometimes you laugh and think to yourself, seriously? Good stuff.

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Jan 17, 2010

Peter rated it:

maybe i've read too many of cussler books lately, but god this book was astoundingly boring
the protagonists- what is it about kurt austin and his pale hair that makes him so boring? he collects dueling pistols. wow. how very, very interesting. and what about zavala? a Mexican-American who turns classic cars into submarines - boring? how could it be? and yet it is. and the Trouts- don't these people have any flaws? at all?
the antagonists - a megalomaniac looking for Solomon's More...

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Aug 10, 2008

Matt rated it:

Can you give anything lower than a one-star rating? I have never read Cussler before but wanted a quick, light summer read. With its one-dimensional, stock characters and forced dialog The Navigator is quite possibly one of the worst books I have read.

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Jul 25, 2009

Kelly rated it:

This was Cussler at his best. The book kept me riveted and I had trouble putting it down. Kurt Austin is one of my favourite characters of Cusslers.

Synopsis curtesy of Penguin Books.

Years ago, an ancient Phoenician statue known as the Navigator was stolen from the Baghdad 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, very nearly, is a UN investigator who, More...

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Dec 29, 2008

Jeff rated it:

This book was all right. It was exciting but not really a cliffhanger. I also thought a lot of the science was week and it was interesting that the CIA and Federal Government were so willing to accommodate a civilian’s need to rescue his girlfriend from the villain. But maybe that is just me being cynical again. The thing that I liked the most about this book was that there was very little language (or at least what I thought of as little) and the sexiest scene in the book was when the woman More...

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Oct 09, 2010

Marti rated it:

Clive Cussler keeps finding out interesting topics about which to write. This time The Navigator refers to actually more than one Phoencian statue. This series features kurt Austin, the successor to the incredible Dirk Pitt, and his sidekick, Joe Zavala, working for NUMA. There is a damsel in distress, Carina Mechadi, who works for a museum, and a villain, Baltazar. Another NUMA couple, Gamay and Paul Trout, also appear. I have gotten used to Kurt--but I still don't think that he is quite More...

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Sep 06, 2010

Jakub rated it:

Just another good read by Cussler (and co). I think it was the first one with Austin... I am not sure as all CC book are almost the same: great potentially dangerous treasure, a beautiful lady in need of saving (often accompanied by a group of less important characters), big bad guy who wants to rule/destroy the world, boom boom, great finalle. But it still works. When I started reading CC some time ago I read 5 or 6 of his book in the span of 2 months. And none bored me. It's pure fun with litt More...

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May 20, 2011

Andy rated it:

Not as bad as Spartan Gold but all the traits of the normal Clive Cussler novel - big build up, quick ending. A rich shipping magnate with ancestry reaching back to King Solomon is hunting down the Ark of the Covenant. An attractive archaeologist/UNESCO woman is involved who, of course, becomes the love interest to our intrepid hero - Kurt Austin. The Phoenicians made it to the Americas and hid the Ark here. Thomas Jefferson found it. A lot of historical fun.

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Feb 01, 2011

Dennis rated it:

Well what can I say, this is definitely entertaining and a page turner but a bit of a yarn. It's not Tolstoy but it is educating and entertaining, as all Clive Cussler novels are. This particular book is part of the NUMA Kurt Austin series and so should be regarded as such. It's a stand alone novel and you don't have to read any of the others. If you like plot twists aplenty, campy intrigue, action and over the top fun, this is your book. Try the used book store before you drop $10.00.

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Dec 11, 2010

Brian rated it:

As usual for these Cussler novels, The Navigator suffers from constant wooden expository dialogue. However, the enjoyably ridiculous counterfactual history stuff is fun. Any plot based on a search for Phoenicians in the Chesapeake seeking out Ophir is alright with me. There is not much actual suspense to speak of, but the action is well-paced with a blessedly succinct denouement. Not the best one of these I've read, but good enough.

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Sep 03, 2009

Tracy rated it:

I'm not sure why I'm less impressed with the Kurt Austin character than I am with Dirk Pitt or Juan Colorado. Is it the addition of the specific partner-author? I don't know.

A grand adventure (as expected) that traverses the world in various extremely cool and/or rare boats, cars and other vehicles. The bad guy was sufficiently bad, the other bad guy was creepy.

It's amazing how much historical information Cussler & Co. can cram into one adventure - but it works and it More...

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Sep 09, 2010

Jane rated it:

This was my first Clive Cussler book. We listened to it on audio CD during a long drive. While it was entertaining, I found it to be quite formulaic and predictable. It had the expected dilema, hero and damsel in distress. The information regarding the history of the navigator was the most interesting portion of the book. I would classify it as light, entertaining reading. Not sure if I would try another.

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Jan 19, 2012

Jennie rated it:

A new series for me from Cussler, but I enjoyed it. I started this book without realizing it wasn't a Dirk Pitt book (it lacked the dust jacket), but it drew me in quickly. I like Kurt Austin and his team. I really enjoyed the mystery. Like the Dirk Pitt books, this isn't a series I can just plough through at once. But it's a good read when I'm looking for mindless action adventure.

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Sep 30, 2010

Jenni rated it:

Just like the Dirk Pitt books. He just change the character's names. There are lots of intertwining story lines so I kind of felt a little lost sometimes but eventually I got with it. I have read quite a few heavier books recently so this was one of those mindless reads. Cussler really does have an imagination and makes me almost think the "history" parts really happened.

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Jan 18, 2011

Brett rated it:

I have read 2 of Clive's books. Both had a villain who had connections to a legendary figure from ancient times. Each was wealthy to finance their tomfoolery with the protagonists. Each kept a secret trophy/museum in their home to display artifacts that link them to the past. Weak formula at best...I am going to read one more and see if it gets any better. They are not bad books, just a bit too similar

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Dec 14, 2008

Amos rated it:

Good read, typical Cussler with easy solutions to difficult problems a given. Interesting exploitation of the possibility Phonicians reached the Americas... Solomon and Sheba connections and mysteries surounding Jefferson and Lewis... Again a good read, belivable? possibly, parts anyway. Book pb of Lawrence library

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Aug 01, 2009

Fran rated it:

I have always loved the Clive Cussler books. The main character is a wonderful 007 type. I'm surprised more of the books haven't been made into action movies. Anyway, I started in the airport and finished it the next night due to changing time zones and jet lag. It was satisfactory for a fast fun-paced adventure read.

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Jan 31, 2009

Marsha rated it:

An ancient Phoenician statue, a mysterious packet of documents personally encoded by Thomas Jefferson, ancient mariners, modern day heros, are part of this book. Action/adventure, once again the search is on for the artifact. Will the good guys win? Middle East setting, mostly. Kept me entertained.

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Mar 15, 2011

John rated it:

I like the NUMA series, as well as its cousin, the Dirk Pitt series. Both of them, however, are more Bro-mance than real mystery. And, they certainly have an environmentalist agenda. Each novel speaks to a specific environmental issue. But, they are fun reading, and the characters are well-written.

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Feb 12, 2011

Jill rated it:

David and I listened to this on our road trip. I figured I could count on Cussler to have a clean but exciting story. The narrator's voices were ridiculous in some cases, so that may have spoiled the read a little. The whole story was a bit too far-fetched for my taste.

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Nov 08, 2009

Barbara rated it:

Started 11-6-09. I didn't much appreciate the awkward admixture of diverse epochs--the medieval trappings seemed one too many, but I loved the "Phoenician connection," as well as the Jeffersonian. My favorite, so far, of the NUMA Files. (And I seem to be reading them backwards :-))

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Aug 26, 2010

Diane rated it:

I have read many a Clive Cussler action-adventure while waiting in airports over the years. This one wasn't my favorite. But it was okay. I am always amazed at how he weaves an ancient story into a modern adventure. This one was Phoenician.

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Jul 21, 2011

Delilah rated it:

I enjoyed reading The Navigator. I am a fan of Clive Cussler so was not disappointed by the story. He is a natural story teller and I have liked every book I have read by him. They are full of adventure and are always page turners that are hard to put down.

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Apr 20, 2011

J.W. rated it:

Great character development in this mix of history and fiction. It is a page turner and kept me on the edge of my seat. I have two more of Cussler's novels in my to read list and will start another one today.

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May 25, 2010

Judith rated it:

I like the way he starts off his books going back in time and leading to the present and that what happen early has to with the story line .
when they are looking for a old ship or city.
Judith

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Jun 05, 2010

Britt rated it:

This wasn't the greatest Clive Cussler book I've read, but it was still okay. Action on the high seas, a little romance, and a climatic ending, all standard elements of Cussler books are present in this one. If you've read other Cussler books, in particular the ones featuring Kurt Austin, then I recommend this one as well. I give it a C-.

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Feb 07, 2009

Mel rated it:

Clive Cussler is always a good read. His historical tie-ins to current archeological findings is fun, if not historically provable. His characters are witty and the tension is high.

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