[b:Raise the Titanic!|41706|Raise the Titanic! (Dirk Pitt, #4)|Clive Cussler|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1439783780s/41706.jpg|81973] by [a:Clive Cussler|18411|Clive Cussler|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1225620641p2/18411.jpg]

Genres; Action/Adventure, Crime, Mystery, Suspense

4 Stars

Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages
Published October 1st 1984 by Bantam
Oh this trip down memory lane.
Amazing how the one constant in my life is books. Almost all the books I have read throughout my life have been adventure, suspense and mystery.
Does anyone remember the Nick Carter books? Yep, I read every one of them back in the 1970's.
Back to this book.
I remember enjoying it. Loved the action and suspense. I also remember thinking Dirk Pit was a bit like Nick Carter. For me, a young adult, they were both HOT!
I loved the adventures Dirk Pitt took me on. I actually learned a lot about the world and some history from these books. ( )

Dirk and his trusty sidekick have to stop enemies from getting to something in the Titanic and prevent it from being gotten at forever. Deep sea excitement with a James Bond type of suspense. Don't read it because it is plausible, just enjoy the ride. Good action adventure. ( )

I opened this book for nostalgia's sake, looking for a good adventure story. But the ludicrously implausible plot ruined my enjoyment. From stumbling across the Titanic wreck on their first dive, to raising the Titanic with no difficulties, to then sailing the raised wreck straight through a hurricane… I can't even. And despite the title, the Titanic is raised "off screen," while Dirk Pitt is elsewhere.

I chose this book because I know that Cussler had an interest in maritime archeology. However, perhaps that interest only developed later on, because there's no evidence of it here. The rampant sexism is also rather hard to take. ( )

[b:Raise the Titanic!|41706|Raise the Titanic! (Dirk Pitt, #4)|Clive Cussler|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1439783780l/41706._SY75_.jpg|81973] is one of the Dirk Pitt books that I remember reading years and years ago. It's a fascinating story, mixing secret government espionage with the underwater salvage details that are one of the reasons I really do enjoy this series on the greatest salvage mission you could expect: The Titanic.

It's fascinating to realize that this book was published 10 years before the remains of the Titanic were discovered--and yet it's set in 1987, 2 years after. As such, you realize now that there are a few details that aren't entirely correct (such as the ship breaking in half). Also we're near the fall of the USSR, but they're quite the villains to be reckoned with hereabouts. Still, from the point of view it was written, it all seems reasonable enough. Otherwise, just treat it as a parallel universe and you're good to go. And both the salvage mission plus the harrowing account of Russian agents and a hurricane once the Titanic is raised makes it a solid action book.

Sexism wise, it's at least better than any of the previous books, although there are still issues all over the place. But for once, we actually have a relatively strong woman character in Dana Seagram--for about 80% of the time she's on screen. It's weird and awkward and cartoony in completely the other direction. And there's a definite 'woman are strong; and then everyone clapped' moment that's rather eye-roll inducing, but it at least appears that Cussler is trying. There's hope yet. Now let's see if he can get more than one woman character at the same time. ( )

Raise The Titanic! has been highly recommended to me by a close friend for yeeears and every time he asked if I have read it my response was always - not yet. ( )