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Spartan Gold (Fargo Adventure #1)
A fortune lost for ages...
A millionaire pursuing his destiny...
Sam and Remi Fargo are about to encounter both.
A millionaire pursuing his destiny...
Sam and Remi Fargo are about to encounter both.
ebook, 0 pages
Published
September 1st 2009
by Berkley
(first published 2008)
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Mar 03, 2013
Shelley
added it
“Spartan Gold A Fargo Adventure”
Written by Clive Cussler with Grant Blackwood
Review Essay
Shelley Rodunardt
Excelsior College
Author Note
This paper was prepared for English Composition II, ENG102, Assignment M3A1, taught by Lori Bufka.
Spartan Gold A Fargo Adventure
Review Essay
Author Clive Cussler with the assistance of Grant Blackwood writes Spartan Gold which is the first book of Cusslers new Fargo Adventure Series. In this first book we will be introduced to a husband and wife team whom we wi...more
Spartan Gold is about a couple who attempt to search for a hidden treasure. They attempt to piece together clues, and evade those perusing them. They use their vast funds and connections at home to help them with their problems.
I was not a big fan of this book. The idea behind it, and the general plot were good, but the way things happened left me unamused. I found the whole book to be unrealistic, and I could not identify with it. The two main characters had a relationship that would have fit...more
I was not a big fan of this book. The idea behind it, and the general plot were good, but the way things happened left me unamused. I found the whole book to be unrealistic, and I could not identify with it. The two main characters had a relationship that would have fit...more
This was the first Cussler book that I read and I don't know if others are like this but it feels to me like the Fargos' solutions to their problems and escape methods seem a little too easy. A deus ex machina is forgivable from time to time, but it seems to happen every time they get into trouble. The couple repeatedly uses less than lethal actions and unlimited resources to outsmart hordes of armed gunmen, and it seems unrealistic. Once they finally achieve their final goal, it rings hollow. I...more
Spartan’s Gold, written by Clive Cussler, is a book about a couple exploring on a river and coming up on a weird submarine. Sam and Remi Fargo are their names. They then took a great interest in the finding of the submarine and began to study it. As they study the submarine, they come across a map written by Napoleon, a map that shows 12 bottles of wine. These aren’t ordinary bottles of wine. They have markings on them from years ago and are very valuable. As they go and search for all 12 bottle...more
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Overall, a disappointing outing from Cussler and Blackwood. In this novel, Remi and Sam Fargo, treasure hunters extraordinaire and generous philanthropists, find themselves up against the forces of a mysterious Ukranian crime boss who traces his ancestry to Persia, and Xerxes the Great. Both are after the secrets of the lost cellar of Napoleon and the potential treasure it will lead them to.
The major issue here is that there is no threat. Remi and Sam repeatedly face down the bad guys, and do so...more
The major issue here is that there is no threat. Remi and Sam repeatedly face down the bad guys, and do so...more
I've read a number of Cussler books over the years, and have enjoyed every one. This was no exception. The story was entertaining, and the characters (although somewhat stereotypical) were engaging. I did have a few problems with it, though. The writing wasn't up to the standard I expected. There were a couple of grammatical errors, and in many places the exact same phrasing was repeated in consecutive sentences. This change in style may be due to Cussler collaborating with another author. I'm n...more
Nov 25, 2010
Suzanne Moore
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fall-challenge-picks
Not my usual read, but it was interesting. There was a lot of historical background injected into the adventures of Remi & Sam Fargo, husband and wife team. The two are treasure hunters that stumble into the mystery of Napoleon's lost wine cellar when they discover a Nazi mini-sub off the coast of Maryland with a 190 year old wine bottle among the sunken cargo. Persian millionaire, Bondaruk, is also looking for this and other bottles that hold clues in the labels. Remi and Sam aren't in this...more
Jan 08, 2010
Damien
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Damien by:
John DeCremer
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I did enjoy it, but felt the story was a bit forced. It seemed Cussler and Blackwood were trying too hard to cram in as much outrageous adventure as they could into every page. The main characters of Sam & Remi Fargo find a one-man WWII Nazi submarine in the swamps of Maryland that contains a French bottle of wine that was bottled by a winery owned by Napolean who left an encrypted code hidden within the layers of the bottle's label that form clues leading to a treasure from ancient Greece t...more
Okay, I'm done. It was an enjoyable read. I agree with one of the other reviewers that, even though they took some damage, Remi and Sam didn't seem phased in the slightest by the bad guys in a way that I felt they should have. They brushed off the attacks from villains and thugs with a shrug. As for the History-mystery, I liked that part of it. The writing was smoother than I remember Clive Cussler being in the Dirk Pitt Novels. It's worth another book, but not three if Sam and Remi don't learn...more
I did like this book a little more than the past few Cussler books I have read, not quite as many impossible situations to escape from and I learned some things
1) If you let the bad guys live only to have them chase you 2 pages later kill them the next time, but the characters in Cussler books never seem to learn that. Just kill them.
2) Any riddle can be solved. The riddles in this story were so silly I didn't even care if they were solved and the path to the gold was crazy.
The early Cusslers bo...more
1) If you let the bad guys live only to have them chase you 2 pages later kill them the next time, but the characters in Cussler books never seem to learn that. Just kill them.
2) Any riddle can be solved. The riddles in this story were so silly I didn't even care if they were solved and the path to the gold was crazy.
The early Cusslers bo...more
I have never read a novel like this! I should call it "The Book of Details."
I feel bad for giving it only 3 starts because the story is quite good (a 4-star rating for the plot) but the style made it difficult to enjoy it. There is no introspection in this book, no description of emotions or thoughts, nothing but tons of details, over details, over details of irrelevant facts. We are not only told that Sam and Remi took a boat tour; we are told the name of the company that offered the tour, the...more
I feel bad for giving it only 3 starts because the story is quite good (a 4-star rating for the plot) but the style made it difficult to enjoy it. There is no introspection in this book, no description of emotions or thoughts, nothing but tons of details, over details, over details of irrelevant facts. We are not only told that Sam and Remi took a boat tour; we are told the name of the company that offered the tour, the...more
I loved this book. This is my first Clive Cussler book, despite the fact my dad has been trying to get me into it for years. My husband and I started listening to it on the way to the Grand Canyon and enjoyed it so much that I got the book from the library, and he (a non-reader) is getting the audiobook to listen on the long drive to and from work. The story has so many thrilling scenes and I love all the obscure historical trivia in the book--making it well-researched. As one reviewer has alrea...more
If you like Scoobie Doo cartoons, you might like this. Too many underground chases and close calls with the bad guys in those constricted, terrain challenging depths. The villain is a standard very wealthy Ukrainian ex-military tyrant with a singular goal - solve the same riddle that the main characters are solving as they go, and hoard the gold at the end of the search.
Nautical scenes of archeological searching from a small boat in near shore river systems match up to the methods actually used...more
Nautical scenes of archeological searching from a small boat in near shore river systems match up to the methods actually used...more
I...am having a hard time figuring out what to say about this novel. I believe the "ARGH" pencilled in near the end of the copy I read may say it all.
(that "ARGH" no doubt had to do with a xiphos, a Spartan sword, being referred to as having "gleaming steel" showing through on the blade. The xiphos was bronze and, in later times, iron. There would be no gleaming steel.)
That, really, says it all. This book read like someone spliced some action scenes into a series of Wikipedia printouts - the ent...more
(that "ARGH" no doubt had to do with a xiphos, a Spartan sword, being referred to as having "gleaming steel" showing through on the blade. The xiphos was bronze and, in later times, iron. There would be no gleaming steel.)
That, really, says it all. This book read like someone spliced some action scenes into a series of Wikipedia printouts - the ent...more
My recommendation: Read this only if you, say, you're on a long flight or travelling. It is a very typical 'Dirk Pitt' adeventure, but instead we have the Fargos - Sam and Remi Fargo, ad husband and wife team who are 'treasure hunters'. Being a couple, I was expecting more depth, more intimacy and romance - but hardly. The 'Spartan Gold' that they will eventually (its one of those books where the good guys always wins and the bad guy always lose) is also not that magnificent. I believe the previ...more
this is the first Cussler book i read. After reading 30 chapters without any brake I'm totally disappointed on spartan gold.In normal case I like mystery wrapped with action but in this book I can't see any action its completely filled with some illogical crap I cant assume a abandoned submarine works perfectly after 60 years, and in the begging Cussler says that that submarine is one of the failed innovation of Germany but in this novel we can see that fargos ride this submarine without any dif...more
I've read a couple of Cussler's book before this one, mainly Dirk Pitt adventures and I honestly enjoyed them a lot. I was expecting a great adventure, spiced with political intrigues, fictional historical events and topped with some good humor, cheesy romance and good enough characters. But instead I got a shallow treasure hunt, more than usual unrealistic action scenes, two uni-dimensional main characters ( a couple: husband and wife), some very retarded side characters. The dialog and action...more
The book is good and reads like a 300+ page history lesson about Napoleon, with the main characters discovering things more things along the way. Pretty much anything you ever wanted to know about this historical figure is in here. The authors are insanely intelligent, and must have spent months researching before setting pen to paper.
In spite of the monumental amount of history in the book, it reads rather lightly. Something you pick up at the end of a tiring day because you know it won't be to...more
In spite of the monumental amount of history in the book, it reads rather lightly. Something you pick up at the end of a tiring day because you know it won't be to...more
Apr 13, 2013
Dark-Draco
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
adventure-fiction,
thriller
I am a big fan of Cussler, but this is the first 'Fargo' adventure I have read. Sam and Remi Fargo are searching for pirate treasure in the Maryland swamps. Instead, they stumble across a WWII German U-boat, complete with a bottle that seems to be from Napoleon's lost cellar. When a friend of theirs is attacked and they themselves are targeted, they become determined to track down exactly what lies behind the mystery. What treasure did Hitler and Napoleon try to hide so well and why is a half-Ru...more
Less enjoyable that most Cussler books. A good plot concept but too although faced with many predicaments, the Fargos seem to sail through almost completely unscathed. At too many points in the story I was waiting for one of them to be kidnapped, trapped or injured but after numerous improbable avoidances of any serious repurcussions it became clear that they live a charmed life.
The Fargos compete with a wealthy Ukranian mafioso for secret Napoleonic treasure. Bottles of wine provide directions...more
The Fargos compete with a wealthy Ukranian mafioso for secret Napoleonic treasure. Bottles of wine provide directions...more
The Fargos are exploring the Great Pocomoke Swamp in Delaware when they stumble across a WWII German U-boat. Inside, they find a curious bottle, which they identify as coming from Napoleon's "lost cellar." The Fargos set out to find the rest of the collection - but unbeknownst to them, another connoisseur of sorts has been looking for the very bottle they-ve just found: Hadeon Bondaruk, a half-Russian, half-Persian millionaire who claims to be a direct descendant of Persian emperor Xerxes the Gr...more
Not my usual read, but I thought I'd break it up with something different. This is an adventure story about a treasure hunting married couple on their quest to find 12 lost wine bottles from Napoleon's "lost cellar." But believing that these bottles hold the key to finding the secret treasure of Xerxes I, the book's villain will stop at nothing to get to them first.
I'd never read anything by Clive Cussler before this; his stuff always seemed to be like something my dad would read. I don't say th...more
I'd never read anything by Clive Cussler before this; his stuff always seemed to be like something my dad would read. I don't say th...more
I'm not a fan of the genre. But the reader in me has to admit this is definitely a pageturner. The book has everything a good adventure story should have: a fabulous treasure dating back to ancient history, riddles and cryptic hints to be followed, a charming couple of treasure-hunters, a ruthless adversary and action, plenty of action. In a way it reminded me of Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code. Only this novel takes you all over the world and its historic protagonists go back to Napoleon, and even fu...more
started 01/25/10 - may have problem due to cataract.
finish 02/4/10 - eyes and other distractions of reading time
good book. the couple is interesting twist. some of the interaction is a little off kilter.
jump quickly from one situation to another without much connecting story in between.
almost dead one minute. having drinks in hot tub before massage.
lot of jumble in story line, between codes and people involved. lot of names dropped once and no further developement; then the pop up later in book...more
finish 02/4/10 - eyes and other distractions of reading time
good book. the couple is interesting twist. some of the interaction is a little off kilter.
jump quickly from one situation to another without much connecting story in between.
almost dead one minute. having drinks in hot tub before massage.
lot of jumble in story line, between codes and people involved. lot of names dropped once and no further developement; then the pop up later in book...more
Another great companion for my runs! This book features two treasure hunters, Sam and Remi Fargo, who get sucked into an adventure when they spot a friend being taken away. The characters are believable but a bit over the top, which I like. The action carries through the book and includes history, puzzles and riddles in addition to gun-wielding enemies. The relationship between the two principles is both sweet and filled with respect for each other's abilities. They are tough cookies and I loved...more
Many years ago I asked a librarian for a suggestion of some books to read that I might like. I told her I like the James Bond series. She suggested reading Clive Cussler's books. I have read many of them and very much enjoyed them. He has now started a new series, different than the NUMA books but just as interesting. He is now co-writing rather than writing alone and one interesting thing I noted. He always puts a character in his books with his name. It came much earlier in the book than usual...more
A good addition to the Cusslerverse. The Fargos are a cross between Indian Jones and Agatha Christie's Tommy and Tuppence. As with most Cussler novels, there is a quasi-historical pin that holds the entire plot together. Sometimes this device is used to great effect, sometimes not; in Spartan Gold it was a so-so effort. But the playful interaction between Sam and Remi (the Fargos) kept it fresh and despite the less-than-threatening villain, I enjoyed the story. As I read I thought this was going...more
LIKED IT!
I ran out of books - so i decided to go with one of my boyfriend's books. I really didn't expect a lot, because he has total other likings, as for books, than i have.
BUT i was really really surprised. the book caught me and finished it within 3 or 4 days.
it has a nice historical background.
the two main characteres - Sam and Remi are treasure hunters. on their search they find an old submarine from the second world war - and so they are winded to a historical treasure.
it contains a lot...more
I ran out of books - so i decided to go with one of my boyfriend's books. I really didn't expect a lot, because he has total other likings, as for books, than i have.
BUT i was really really surprised. the book caught me and finished it within 3 or 4 days.
it has a nice historical background.
the two main characteres - Sam and Remi are treasure hunters. on their search they find an old submarine from the second world war - and so they are winded to a historical treasure.
it contains a lot...more
This one I liked alot. I would reread this one if I had the time. One thing I took notice of after reading it and unfortunately not while reading it was that it was very historical in places and actually mentioned quite a good amount of timeline and history about Napolian, and a few other topics. It was very exciting, with not buckets of language, and no adult scenes which was a great relief. :)I really liked it and I fit right in with the Fargos. ONe question though, besides a few languages, is...more
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Cussler began writing novels in 1965 and published his first work featuring his continuous series hero, Dirk Pitt, in 1973. His first non-fiction, The Sea Hunters, was released in 1996. The Board of Governors of the Maritime College, State University of New York, considered The Sea Hunters in lieu of a Ph.D. thesis and awarded Cussler a Doctor of Letters degree in May, 1997. It was the first time...more
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“Though neither of them had ever called their meeting a case of love at first sight, they'd both agreed it had certainly been a case of "pretty damned sure at first hour.”
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