The Tombs

Fargo Adventures #4

by Clive Cussler, Thomas Perry

Husband-and-wife team Sam and Remi Fargo are intrigued when an archaeologist friend requests their help excavating a top secret historical site.  What they find will set them on a hunt for a prize greater than they could ever imagine. 

The clues point to the hidden tomb of Attila the Hun, the High King who was reportedly buried with a vast fortune of gold and jewels and plunder... a bounty that has never been found. 

As they follow the trail through Hungary, Italy, France, Russia, and Kazakhstan — a trail that they discover leads them not to one tomb, but five — the Fargos will find themselves pitted against a thieving group of amateur treasure hunters, a cunning Russian businessman, and a ruthless Hungarian who claims direct descent from Attila himself... and will stop at nothing to claim the tombs’ riches as his own.

Genres: Adventure, Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Action, Audiobook, Suspense

374 pages, Hardcover

First published September 4, 2012

About the author

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 since the College was founded in 1874 that such a degree was bestowed.

Cussler was an internationally recognized authority on shipwrecks and the founder of the National Underwater and Marine Agency, (NUMA) a 501C3 non-profit organization (named after the fictional Federal agency in his novels) that dedicates itself to preserving American maritime and naval history. He and his crew of marine experts and NUMA volunteers discovered more than 60 historically significant underwater wreck sites including the first submarine to sink a ship in battle, the Confederacy's Hunley, and its victim, the Union's Housatonic; the U-20, the U-boat that sank the Lusitania; the Cumberland, which was sunk by the famous ironclad, Merrimack; the renowned Confederate raider Florida; the Navy airship, Akron, the Republic of Texas Navy warship, Zavala, found under a parking lot in Galveston, and the Carpathia, which sank almost six years to-the-day after plucking Titanic's survivors from the sea.

In addition to being the Chairman of NUMA, Cussler was also a fellow in both the Explorers Club of New York and the Royal Geographic Society in London. He was honored with the Lowell Thomas Award for outstanding underwater exploration.

Cussler's books have been published in more than 40 languages in more than 100 countries. His past international bestsellers include Pacific Vortex, Mediterranean Caper, Iceberg, Raise the Titanic, Vixen 03, Night Probe, Deep Six, Cyclops, Treasure, Dragon, Sahara, Inca Gold, Shock Wave, Flood Tide, Atlantis Found, Valhalla Rising, Trojan Odyssey and Black Wind (this last with his son, Dirk Cussler); the nonfiction books The Sea Hunters, The Sea Hunters II and Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt Revealed; the NUMA® Files novels Serpent, Blue Gold, Fire Ice, White Death and Lost City (written with Paul Kemprecos); and the Oregon Files novels Sacred Stone and Golden Buddha (written with Craig Dirgo) and Dark Watch (written with Jack Du Brul).

Clive Cussler died at his home in Scottsdale, Arizona on February 24, 2020.

Reviews

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

I became fascinated by the history of Attila the Hun. Could I be related to him too? :)

Gread adventure novel. Picked it up in an airport bookstore as I didn't have anything ready at home to take with me.

Good pacing, interesting history. Main characters were ok, but not amazing.

About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by. Note: All written content is my original creation and copyrighted to me, but the graphics and images were linked from other sites and belong to them. Many thanks to their original creators.

[Chris Bauer · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I finished the final page of The Tombs by Clive Cussler I had a sad epiphany, a suspicion which had been brewing for some time before crystallizing.

Cussler is now a book factory. I've known it for a while, but didn't really care. I've been reading his books since I was in high school and enjoyed them all. The Tombs is no exception. Plenty of action, exotic locations, perilous situations and interesting characters plus the guaranteed cameo appearance by the author himself in every book.

But while reading the book I could not help but imagine some iPad app, a Wheel of Fortune-like construct which he would spin several times during the writing process.

"Okay. Treasure = Attila the Hun. Bad guys=mobsters+crazy megalomaniac. Locations=Rome, La Jolla etc." and so forth.

Reading The Tombs felt like doing an old Choose Your Own Adventure book with a lot less choices. Or maybe a Mad Libs approach to writing. I'm not sure which.

That being said, I really enjoyed reading it. The pace, the situations, the treasure-hunting were all rote, but entertaining anyways. Don't get me wrong; I love his formula. Want over the top action with an aquatic theme? Check out Dirk Pitt or Austin. Want a historical, Pinkerton novel with more grit? Check out Issac Bell. In the mood for globe trotting adventure? Pick up a Fargo book. Pseudo-military action adventure? Yep, covered in the Oregon Files.

Reading one of his books is like hanging out with old friends stuck in a rut. You're comfortable in their presence, they're just as entertaining as you remember but don't expect anything to blow your mind.

[Mark Muckerman · Rating 1 out of 5]

In a word: disappointing.

I'm a Cussler fan of 20+ years, but sadly I think it's time for him to retire his fountain pen. More and more "Cussler Books" are "with co-author", and based on quality of writing, story development, and historical research and interesting plot hook (or lack of), it seems that each successive work is written more by the "with" and less by the great CC himself.

The Tombs is another example of collaborative authorship trading on the legacy of the name, but without the quality of work that built that reputation. Spoilers aside (and it would be hard to leak spoilers on a story that is barely past one-dimensional), there really is no true storytelling in this one. No development, no suspense, no plot intricacies or historical mystery slowly revealed. The Tombs charges ahead as a straight line narrative, that reads at a pace like a storyteller trying to beat a deadline. Plot development is non-existant, as phone call from old friend leads to frantic globehopping with no resource constraints, and the "clues" to the big finish are literally laid out like a trail of oversized breadcrumbs for the nearsighted and incredibly stupid.

Once a hallmark of a Cussler novel, interweaving of historical context is thin at best, and clumsily heavy-handed at its worst. Compounding a formulaic plot style (the side story of the Louisiana incident was a waste of text, as it had no bearing on the storyline, and introduced a group of superfluous characters that had no real place in the overall story), this one was riddled with too many perfect plot devices of convenience: My first complaint is that all of Cussler's protagonists are now independently wealthy, geniuses, and so gifted in a host of combat and surveillance arts against ridiculous odds that we can't help but wonder how poor Dirk Pitt (being only flesh and blood) must feel standing in their shadows. My second complaint is in the ready availability to all parties of money, aircraft, boats and weapons - all with just a phone call, and provided with overnight delivery. Need an airplane - call Selma. Need a barge and crane - call Selma. Need perfect satellite recon mapping over a foreign country - call Selma. Third - it's just thin. A weak premise underdeveloped and undermined by weak writing.

With great regret, this will be my last Cussler book. I'd rather re-read and re-enjoy the well worn and dog-eared Dirk Pitt classics on my shelf, than to keep touching the stove of disappointment when I've been burned too many times.

In a final instance of poetic irony, after I finished the book I left it on the coffee table. I returned to find the dog had chewed up part of the book, but not all. I guess he disliked it so much he literally couldn't stomach finishing it. . .!

P.S. - at the end, they hit an iceberg and everyone dies.

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exciting adventure yarn. Better yet, the content was cleaner than in the last entry in this series that I read.

[Kathy Davie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fourth in the Fargo Adventure suspense series revolving around Sam and Remi Fargo, wealthy treasure hunters with a reputation for success.

My Take
What a disappointment! I have to wonder if Cussler had anything to do with writing this other than putting his name on the cover. It could be unfair of me to put the onus on Perry, but of all the Cusslers I've read, this is one of the very few that have appalled me in the writing sense.

The story idea is terrific and great fun. It's execution is just that. Killing it with words. A lack of them. And a lack of finesse, development, complexity...I feel like I've read a children's primer that is somehow aimed at adults.

The chunk in which Tibor questions the Fargos about their intentions in his country and we get the info dump. And it reads like a dump of background history only with "Sam said" and "Remi said" in front of it.

The professor is kidnapped. No worries, just follow the script and he'll be rescued. The ease of the rescue was pathetic. Pick up a dog, track his scent...I thought I was on a ride at Disneyland.

Then there's the entire premise of the story. Finding the lost tombs or burials of Attila the Hun. It was as easy as a children's scavenger hunt. Clues popped up as regular as a metronome and within hours they were deciphered. The only real time it took on these hunts was the travel time to get there. A board game would take longer.

It was irresponsible of Sam and Remi to put down their toys and run off to play with someone else. Especially when they had already committed to being there. Yes, their reasons were good, but Cussler/Perry could have written the transition better and not left me feeling as though I were reading about a couple of children suffering from ADD.

There are some interesting bits of history about the events of the time that affected Attila's choices. An interesting tidbit about the founding of Venice. I wonder if it's true? Sam and Remi do have a few nice meals.

Cussler/Perry try to build in some tension by allowing Bako to find a few graves although the Fargos quickly change that. The kidnapping almost felt like karmic justice for Remi being so dismissive. Although I can't believe Sam was so slack about her security that he wasn't paying attention. All the mouthing off that Cussler/Perry do about how prepared the Fargos are to defend themselves is contradicted by their actions. The emotions the Fargos experience in this part are so nebulous and yet Sam and Remi should both be terrified. Instead it's rather ho-hum. Even the CIA is amazingly accommodating about Sam's running off.

Interesting that this is the first time the "CC" character that usually appears in any of Cussler's books shows up with a companion as well as a Tucker automobile. Hmmmm, what is happening in Cussler's private life…?

Ooh, interesting theory about why Rome and Ruga chose Attila as the hostage. Nice bit of credit giving at the end. The battle at the La Jolla house is certainly interesting. Anyone concerned about home security will be interested in reading this bit. It does reiterate what Gin Blanco points out in her story in Widow's Web in the Elemental Assassin series by Jennifer Estep. Pull up the drawbridge!

The Story
It starts as so many of Cussler's stories do with a prologue of events in the past. In this case, we get a peek into Attila the Hun's death and its aftermath. Enough that we know what Professor Fischer discovered in that field in Hungary and why it is so important to keep it quiet.

Naturally, the first thing one does when one is trying to keep an archeological site secret is call in people who are notorious for their successful treasure hunts. And so it begins with the chasing, hunting, and battles as treasure is sought, found, and battled over in a tug of war that is both mental and physical.

It's a grand way to see the hidden gems of Europe.

The Characters
Sam and Remi Fargo are fascinated by history and the sale of their scanner company allows them to indulge their interest. Unfortunately, the treasures they have found in the past make them a couple of interest to criminals interested in getting rich without effort. The interest has been intense enough that both Sam and Remi have taken a wide variety of classes in self-defense.

The Fargos employ several people who live and work at their La Jolla home: Sela Wondrash is the primary researcher and Wendy and Pete are the junior researchers.

Professor Albrecht Fischer teaches classic archeology at Heidelberg and is fascinated by the Romans. Dr. Enikö Harsányi and Dr. Imre Polgár both teach at Szeged University. Dr. Monika Voss is the regional director of the National Office of Cultural Heritage.

Tibor Lazar is a taxi driver in Szeged in Hungary with lots of relatives and friends. János is Tibor's brother. Paul is a cousin who speaks Italian. Zoltán is a very protective German shepherd belonging to one of Tibor's relatives. Nurin is the driver the Fargos hire in Kazakhstan.

Sergio Boiardi is with the Tutela Patrimonio Culturale of the Carabinieri in Naples. I do like him, but it's too bad that Cussler/Perry give him such lousy dialog!

Ray Holbert is an archeologist salvaging the remains of a sunken village off the coast of Louisiana and he's grateful for the Fargos' help. Dave Carmody owns the boat the Fargos are renting while they salvage dive in Louisiana. Carl Hagar is with Diplomatic Security at the U.S. embassy in Moscow.

Consolidated Enterprises is too interested in the Fargos' movements and have a reputation for swooping in.

Arpad Bako is from a Hungarian family known for their greed and flexibility. They flow from side to side, picking up with whoever is in power and stamping down on anyone around them. Bako believes he's at least a spiritual descendant of Attila. Etienne Le Clerc is a French drug dealer in France who is associated with Bako. Sergei Poliakoff is another of Bako's associates with a criminal empire in Russia.

The Cover
THe cover is all greens and golds with the wooden chests of treasure relating to this story and the jungle-like plants surrounding the boxes that do not relate. There weren't any jungles or rain forest-like areas where the Fargos were exploring. But then the disconnect suits the rest of the story.

The title is what it's all about---The Tombs. All of them belonging to Attila the Hun or someone in his family.

[Jarek · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Tombs by Clive Cussler is the fourth book in the series depicting adventures of Sam and Remi Fargo, a couple of millionaires who enjoy archeology and treasure hunting. This time they are set against Eastern European mafia in a race across Europe and Asia to uncover the tomb of Attila the Hun.

The storyline of "The Tombs" is very simplified, to the point of being more appropriate for a cartoon or kids comic book than a novel. In the beginning of their adventure the Fargos conveniently meet Tibor, a Hungarian taxi-driver, who can instantly provide them with anything they want, no matter how illegal it is. As the story progresses, Tibor procures a set of uniforms used by security personnel of a Hungarian drug lord, Czech-made pistols with live ammunition, a boat, numerous cars and trucks, a protection-trained German Shepherd and a helicopter with a pilot. He is like Rico from The Penguins of Madagascar, but speaking impeccable English.

The Fargos, as all millionaires, can travel anywhere in the world with no need for almost any paperwork, have the most sophisticated scientific equipment instantly delivered to their current hotel, and own cell phones that work everywhere, from the forests of Transylvania to the plains of Kazakhstan. They can also shoot anyone who stands in their way with no legal consequences. No wonder that they they dispose of mafia hit-men with efficiency of a SWAT team.

I think it's obvious that I haven't found any value in this book. It's too naive to be enjoyed by even most undemanding adults, and has no educational virtues to be suitable for kids.

[Douglas Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

I gave this 2 stars, only because I have always enjoyed CC's books, but this one was pretty much a disaster. It sped through each little Fargo adventure, but dragged on with facts about Attila the Hun and other useless information.
If all chapters read like the last 3 it could have been a decent book.
Now, would you trust a complete stranger to pilot a boat you just loaded with millions in treasure and not even go with him...come on. The befriending and trusting was way to cheesy.All these instant friends or people they find at random, who just happen to have cousins, all who have the answers.Please!!!
Glad I only borrowed this one from library, because it would have been a waste to add to my collection of his other books.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are just so many things wrong with The Tombs that it makes me tired just to think about articulating it all, and this book really isn’t worth that much thought. Other reviews have pointed out all the flaws. I say ditto. As action-adventure goes, I could have done better, but this is fine in a pinch at the right price point. And by the right price point, I most definitely mean free. If you like Cussler, and you want to read his new stuff, do yourself a favor and check it out from the library.

[Don · Rating 2 out of 5]

Clearly Grant Blackwood was doing the heavy lifting with this series because here, in the first novel Blackwood didn't co-author, the "adventure" in this adventure series disappears. In place of adventure, we, the reader, are instead given...I don't know. A story, to be sure. One that had great potential, even. But no adventure. The Fargos go from A to B to C with little or no drama.

The premise of the book is that a friend of the Fargos has discovered a clue leading to the tomb of Attila the Hun. Suddenly that friend is kidnapped. It turns out there's this Attila fanatic who wants to find his tomb first. So the Fargos rescue him and the chase is on.

Turns out Attila had five treasure hordes hidden across Eastern Europe with each horde containing a clue to the next, with Attila's tomb being the final treasure. Sounds interesting, right?

Problem is the Fargos never lose.

They get buried alive in one of the tombs. Only to get free three pages later.

Remi gets kidnapped and Sam literally walks into the kidnapper's house at night and frees her.

There was just no action; no drama. The Fargos either find each treasure first or steal it from the bad guys within pages. The only interesting action piece is at the end when the bad guys attack the Fargo house and that is more of an epilogue than anything else.

It was just a bland story. The one plus I feel needs mentioning is that it appears Thomas Perry did an outstanding job researching Attila the Hun and Eastern Europe.

Still, call me when Grant Blackwood returns.

[Bettie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Author: Clive Cussler & Thomas Perry
Read by: Scott Brick
Edition: Unabridged.
Publisher: Penguin Audio, New York, NY
Date: 2012

11 hours 23 minutes


blurb: Husband-and-wife team Sam and Remi Fargo are intrigued when an archaeologist friend requests their help excavating a top secret historical site. What they find will set them on a hunt for a prize greater than they could ever imagine. The clues point to the hidden tomb of Attila the Hun, the High King who was reportedly buried with a
vast fortune of gold and jewels and plunder . . . a bounty that has never been found.

As they follow the trail through Hungary, Italy, France, Russia, and Kazakhstan-a trail that they discover leads them not to one tomb, but five-the Fargos will find themselves pitted against a thieving group of amateur treasure hunters, a cunning Russian businessman, and a ruthless Hungarian who claims direct descent from Attila himself and will stop at nothing to claim the tombs' riches as his own.

Need some adventure after the misery of New Grub Street.

[Bandit · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I'm not particularly imaginative when it comes to my audio book selection. I like Scott Brick's reading and Fargo series seem to entertain enough to do the trick. This book, part 4 in the series, was actually better than some of its predecessors. The are all ridiculous, of course, the Fargos are much too perfect to be taken seriously and it's all entirely too predictable to be compelling per se, but I do enjoy the historical aspect, in this case Attila the Hun, who apparently was quite an enthusiastic treasure burier, but of course no match for the uber enthusiastic treasure hunters that are Sam and Remi Fargo. Fun enough well read story to keep company on bike rides and walks.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good action/adventure story but not one of Cussler's best. This was an audiobook and the first time I've met the Fargo's. Scott Brick (the narrator) kept it interesting. Lots of history mixed with action. I guess you could call this something like "historical fiction" b/c the author spent so much time setting up the story line in the beginning as it is with many of the later Cussler novels.

Overall: it filled the time I spent mowing and weed-eating 4 acres. For that I am thankful.

[David Winslow Winslow · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a Clive Cussler book…what do you expect? That’s what you get. Easy fun candy reading.

[Deniz · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was my first book by the author. It was a pretty painful read, honestly.

It started quite slowly, and picked up a bit as the story unfolded, but it soon became obvious exactly what was going to be happening at every turn. It was way too predictable, and there was no suspense at all making the story really tiresome after the half way point for me. The characters seemed a bit childish in a sense that I felt like everybody and their personalities, no matter how bad they were, were appropriate for a PG movie. The good people were too friendly, too helpful, and too nice, which along with the complete predictability of everything, and the unbelievable ease the main characters have in obtaining the most impossible help in an instant, made it obvious that nothing bad was going to happen, sucked all suspense and realism out of the story, and made it a very tiresome effort to get through.

Add to it that after the story should have ended with the clear and obvious climax of the plot, it drags on and on with an unnecessary event, which has an expected result.

Not to mention, the cover art is completely misleading as no part of the story takes place in a lush, green jungle. I couldn't wait for it to end so that I could just start a new book.

Not recommended.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great adventure. Lovely plot, although unbelievable at most times. Definitely keeps you entertained. Fast paced, quick reading. Good read!

Husband-and-wife team Sam and Remi Fargo are intrigued when an archaeologist friend requests their help excavating a top secret historical site. What they find will set them on a hunt for a prize greater than they could ever imagine. The clues point to the hidden tomb of Attila the Hun, the High King who was reportedly buried with a vast fortune of gold and jewels and plunder . . . a bounty that has never been found. As they follow the trail through Hungary, Italy, France, Russia, and Kazakhstan—a trail that they discover leads them not to one tomb, but five—the Fargos will find themselves pitted against a thieving group of amateur treasure hunters, a cunning Russian businessman, and a ruthless Hungarian who claims direct descent from Attila himself . . . and will stop at nothing to claim the tombs’ riches as his own.

[Redfox5 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this as much as some of the other Cussler books I've read. It wasn't bad, I just found the two main characters very unbelievable.

They seemed to be trained in everything and ready for any situation. They foiled the bad guys again and again, even when they are vastly outnumbered. This book also implies you already know everything about them as it's part of a series, I had not ready any previous books, so never felt like I got to know them.

The book jumps around several locations looking for the tomb of Attila. It just never really did it for me. It wasn't boring, just over the top.

[Terry Cornell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this a three and a half rating. A fast-paced page-turner that I found this hard to put down. It includes a little bit of history on Attila the Hun, and I really enjoy the protagonist Fargo couple. I think this is actually the fourth book in the series, and I haven't read the others. I didn't find it necessary to read the others first, as the authors include enough information from the past books to clue readers like me in to the couples past history. Some of this doesn't seem that plausible, which is why I didn't give it four stars. However, it is a really enjoyable read. Now I plan on checking out the other books in the series.

[Steven Paglierani · Rating 2 out of 5]

In a word, disappointing. This is probably the most poorly written Cussler I've ever read and I own and have read every one. Compared to books like Inca Gold and Sahara, this book is just plain slow, plodding, lacking in suspense, and without the slightest hint of clever twists. For instance, every time the Fargoes get in trouble, they miraculously and with little to no thought escape and move on, all this within no more than a few pages. Compare this to Patterson's latest, "Zoo," which I'm having trouble putting down.

Clearly, this is not Cussler's writing.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a pretty good book. I didn't get to read it very quickly but I love the adventure feel. I also love the fact that its not drowning in love triangles. the fact that sam and remi are married really takes away from the drama aspect....which I love about this book. I also was just given almost ALL of Clive cusslers books for free at my job, so I cant wait to get moving on to the next one and see where the adventure takes me.

[Rory · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read some negative reviews about this one. And, yes, there is not a lot of character development and our heroes seem to magically have any thing they might need - whenever (Q:Selma can you get me a 22 gigawatt power source with a flux capacitor? A:It will be waiting for you when you get to your hotel).

But it's a fun story not a docudrama. I enjoyed it.

[Coleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book and I loved it. Yes, I know Clive Cussler's many books, and all have been good, but I had not read any of the Fargo Adventures. I plan to look for the first three [this is number 4] and see if there is a 5.

Sam and Remi Fargo are the hero and heroines in this book and are rich characters in every sense of the word. They hunt treasures all over the world and not for their own personal gain. So one of the things I liked about the book was the various travel that they did in the book - where they went and how they figured out where to dig for possible treasure.

That was only one of the things that I liked. The other - back story if you will - is the history of Attila the Hun. The same Attila in the fourth and fifth century who moved across the world conquering and plundering. I have always had an interest in him, but our schooling barely scratched the surface of his conquests. This book filled in some of the blanks while the Fargos were trying to determine what Attila [and his relatives] were thinking and planning.

After I finished the book and noted some of the reviews for this book I was disappointed to see that they were not better! Maybe the other readers had already read the other Fargo books -- which as noted, I plan to do.

[Katharine Ott · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Tombs" - written by Clive Cussler and Thomas Perry and published in 2012 by G P Putnam's Sons. The plot of this action-adventure story centers around the opulent burial treasure secreted with the body of Attila the Hun, and Sam and Remi Fargo's attempts to beat others to the horde. The Fargos are millionaire adventurists and gourmands who can do what they want, when they want, with no worries about how much it will cost. "You've become known for finding gold and jewels." A complicated excavation that might carry through a thick chapter in another book is started and finished on a page, almost always with positive results. Cussler's characters are not especially developed although this is their fourth adventure, but the action is really the focus here. I feel the style of such stories has become more sophisticated, but Cussler has stamped his own imprint on the genre and I have no complaints. Bringing Thomas Perry along as a writer can only be a good thing - I've really enjoyed his Jane Whitefield novels. "The Tombs" also offers a brief primer on Hun warfare and their dominance in EurAsia around 450 AD. A lively, entertaining read.

[Erin Cataldi · Rating 3 out of 5]

These aren't "great literature" but they are fun and I enjoy the audiobooks. This is the fourth adventure for Sam and Remi Fargo, the multimillion dollar amateur treasure hunting couple. One of their friends, a professor from Germany has found something spectacular in a field. It's a perfectly preserved battlefield filled with dead huns. Little does the professor know though, that he s being watched. When he is kidnapped they fear that he was on to something greater, Atilla the Hun's burial and treasure chamber. It quickly becomes a fast paced action adventure novel that has the Fargos racing across the European and Russian continent to find the treasure before some other unsavory types do. Entertaining - I will continue to read the series.

[Jo-Ann Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun Fargo adventure with a slam bang ending.

A well written easy to read adventure that keeps the reader engaged as the Fargos search for a series of buried treasures. Clive Cussler books are just fun to read. I like the touch of history but it is the light adventure, not a factual crime drama I want when I choose a Cussler book. Sometimes I wonder about some of the plot points but if you just accept the action and move on it is an enjoyable light read that takes the reader into a more perfect fantasy world.

[Scott Johannessen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Something was very noticeably different about the writing in this book compared to the first three. It was not consistent the way the first three books were. I was interested in the overall plot which kept me going. This is the first book my Thomas Perry so I expected somewhat of a change but this was not good. I'm going the next one is better.

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite an explosive ending - literally! I don't know how Cussler will top this one, but I have faith that he will!

[Dinah Steveni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicely narrated on the whole with a fairly extensive Euro-Cast of characters. The German professor's voice got a bit Wictor ze vindow vasher stepped on a wiper-ish after a while to my ear. Good story. The final scene is a doozy. Don't listen if you're trying to nod off to sleep.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

An Indiana Jones style archeologic adventure. Pretty fun and each book can kind of be read on its own I guess.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Kind of Indiana Jones with a mix of MacGyver. Husband and wife help excavate sites and then turn their findings over to local authorities. Now they are called to help excavate a top secret historical site. To find the resting place of Atilla the Hun. But there are five sites.....a clue in each site. I loved the history, places and mostly the relationship the husband and wife have.

[Neville · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another enjoyable story by Cussler.