The Pharaoh's Secret

From The Book Cover:

Kurt and Joe tangle with the most determined enemy they’ve ever encountered when a ruthless power-broker schemes to build a new Egyptian empire as glorious as those of the Pharaohs. Part of his plan rests on the manipulation of a newly discovered aquifer beneath the Sahara, but an even more devastating weapon at his disposal may threaten the entire world: a plant extract known as the black mist, discovered in the City of the Dead and rumored to have the power to take life from the living and restore it to the dead.

My Thoughts:

I've read Clive Cussler's books for many years beginning with the Dirk Pitt series. The one thing that has always made his books outstanding is the ability to blend historical elements...both show more ancient and present into a believable, exciting story line. With the writing skills of Graham Brown...they have produced another winner with the always welcome NUMA crew along with Kurt Austen and his buddy, Joe. The ending could have been smoothed out a bit and the doctor could have been portrayed a bit more believable...but overall a very good and worthwhile read. show less

A mysterious fog wipes out the population of a Meditteranean island. The NUMMA intervention leads them to a horrific and complex plot to steal all the water in N Africa. The bad guys are really bad; even among their own members. A brief underwater, first in the Nile and then into a powerhouse pipeline, sojourn then into lots of land-based action. Cussler is as always, inventive and entertaining.

I've been a comic book fan and have traced the history of comic book heroes back to Doc Savage (Superman) and The Shadow (Batman). I've read both, along with others, and have always thought of Clive Cussler's adventure novels as worthy successors to the old golden age of pulp fiction.

This book has not proven me wrong as they are certainly the modern equivalent of the macho hero who can stand tall against any adversarial situation and come out on top. Kurt Austin, Dirk Pitt and the rest of Cussler's gang can stand with Doc Savage, Monk Mayfair, Ham Brooks and the rest of Doc's crew.

If you're looking for a brisk, fun read that's full of action, adventure and derring-do; this is the place to be. Personally, I prefer reading old Doc Savage show more yarns, because those feel old-timey (like movie serials) and I like that feel, but if you are looking for the same idea only more modern, check these out. show less

This is an old fashioned action-adventure novel featuring some maniacal villains with diabolical plans to harm world peace and some smart, dashing heroes foiling those plans, after a lot of unbelievable action. This time, the villains try to destabilise and take control of North Africa, killing many in these process, helped along by an ancient weapon and the good guys - the team of NUMA - carry out near impossible feats and finally save the world. The action is quite fast paced, with plenty of chases in various terrains. There is also a bit of history concerning ancient Egypt and the times of Napoleon.
The trouble I had with this potboiler was that it was too predictable; there are almost no plot twists, and the goods guys have it a bit show more too easy. And, though the wisecracks of the lead characters are amusing, it gets annoying when they don't give it a rest even in tense situations.
To sum up, this one is a full timepass read that doesn't tax the reader much and I enjoyed it, in a way. show less

The story starts in ancient Egypt. Then jumps to the Napoleonic Wars. Then in modern time, where a maritime incident release a toxic cloud that seemingly kills everyone it touches - wiping out a small island. And then our NUMA heroes arrive, just as aquifers throughout northern Africa start to suddenly dry up.

The story seems convoluted at first, especially as more characters and threads are introduced. It's not until midway through that it starts to come together and in the end Kurt and Joe save the day. The story has more than a little industrial-sized, James Bond-style evil which does add more than a little implausibility to an otherwise entertaining adventure.

Loved the book. Interesting plot with several twists. I also enjoyed the Egyptian aspect. I also like his writing style. If you enjoy a good adventure/mystery then you will want to give this book a read.

The NUMA crew is investigating a shipwreck when a boat strikes a reef near the island where most of the crew is stationed and everyone in the town is put into a strange coma. Kurt and Joe decide to investigate the attack, with the help of an Italian governmental agent. The search extends to Italy, Egypt and north Africa. Also entangled in the mix is a strange drought occurring in parts of Africa. I haven't read any other books in this series but the story still made sense. A satisfying adventure story.